30 AU Ban Jak kisses
by kirayasha aka kira
Summary: Series of fics based on Live Journal's 30 kisses themes which are set in my Homecoming universe, featuring Bankotsu & Jakotsu. NOW COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1: Look over here

Look over here (kiss 1)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

888

"Hey, look over here!" Sesshomaru hissed. He motioned for Rin, his young girlfriend, to come over. When she reached his side, he whispered, "They seem to be hitting it off."

Rin looked over at the table where her boyfriend's manager and the cross-dresser, he had hired for the music video, sat, eating lunch. "Sessh, they're just having lunch together; it doesn't mean a thing," she said patiently.

"Watch."

A few minutes later, the cross-dresser laughed. The two of them had been talking quietly, but now the conversation took on a more animated tone. Both men did appear to be enjoying the other's company, but then again Kusao Bankotsu was known for his wit and charm. Rin knew he was quite the favorite amongst the various women working at the studio to flirt with, although it rarely led to anything more than a date or two. The cross-dresser, Hibiya Jackson, known professionally as Jakotsu-chan, on the other hand was a complete unknown except for the fact that he had had a relationship of sorts with her boyfriend's fellow band mate, Naraku. The few minutes she had spoken to him only revealed that he was American born and bred like herself and that if given the opportunity, he could be just as outrageous as her boyfriend.

"So Ban makes him laugh. Big deal." She shrugged. "He makes a lot of women laugh, I mean people." Rin frowned.

Sesshomaru chuckled. "Yeah, he does look like a woman..." he trailed off as he glanced over at their table. Looking back at his girlfriend, he said, "Fifty bucks-"

"You mean yen, and that's only forty cents, Sessh, if I did the math correctly."

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes at her. "Okay, let's say, five thousand yen says Ban asks him out on a date by the end of shoot."

Rin looked at her boyfriend and smiled. "You're on, but I have to point out that Ban only dates women."

Sesshomaru laughed. "Rin honey, Ban is an equal opportunity lover."

Rin's eyes went wide in surprise. "No way!"

"Oh yeah. He's a definite switch hitter if I've ever seen one."

"Hunh? Since when are you so interested in baseball?" she teased.

Before Sesshomaru could reply, they quickly focused their attention on the other table, when the sound of a chair being pushed back alerted them to one of its occupants leaving. Much to Rin's chagrin, the cross-dresser said just loud enough for them to hear, "Sounds like a date to me!" before walking away. She quickly covered her discomfiture at losing the bet by saying, "Wait! That sounded like Jakotsu asked him out not the other way around! I win!!"

"Damn it, you're right again, Brat!" Sesshomaru said, reaching for his wallet.

888

Bankotsu stood in the shadows along with the film crew and everyone else that was hanging around, watching the video being made. But unlike most of the hangers-on, he only had eyes for the pretty cross-dresser. Jakotsu looked like he was having fun prancing around with Sesshomaru which gave Bankotsu an unexpected pang of jealousy. He shook his head as he silently berated himself over it. By the time the last take and the end of the song had rolled around along with the final kiss, Bankotsu was in his own little world, imagining he was up there kissing the cross-dresser instead.

There was a time when Bankotsu would have dismissed "love at first sight" as nonsense but that was before the tall, pretty cross-dresser had lunch with him. Now he found himself scanning the crowd for a sign of Jakotsu, as people moved in to break down the set and the road crew came to pack up the band's instruments. He was just about to give up and tell himself that he had imagined the whole thing about going on a date, when a pair of warm hands suddenly materialized in front of his eyes, playfully blinding him. Bankotsu chuckled happily when a husky voice whispered saucily in his ear, "Guess who?!"

"Uh, Sessh?" the younger man teased.

"Nope, guess again."

"Ummm..." Bankotsu felt the hands covering his eyes, "Kagome?"

The voice from behind giggled happily. "Nope! One more guess!"

"Uh... I give up."

The hands fell away from his eyes as the voice said impishly, "It's me, Silly!"

"Oh." Bankotsu turned around and came face to face with the cross-dresser. He watched the cross-dresser slowly lick his lips and smile.

"You ready to go?" Jakotsu said.

"Almost."

"Almost? What do you have left to do? Rin-san was nice enough to make arrangements to have my things sent to my friend Sui's house. I don't mind picking them up tomorrow." Jakotsu looked at him quizzically.

"This..." Bankotsu took a deep breath, and throwing caution to the wind, he tilted his head up, leaned in and kissed him.

"Oh..." the cross-dresser said breathlessly when they broke the kiss. Smiling as they both recovered their composure, Jakotsu quipped, "Ooh, I can see you're going to be a fun date." He giggled at the look on Bankotsu's face.

"I'm sorry; I don't know what got into me!" Bankotsu said. He was mortified over his behavior and he was amazed Jakotsu seemed to be taking it in stride.

"Don't worry about it." The cross-dresser shrugged. "A lot guys wonder what it's like to kiss me. I mean look at me, I look girly, yet underneath it all I'm a guy. So let's pretend it never happened. And ummm... if you want, you can give me a goodnight kiss at the end of our date and that'll be our official first kiss."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Bankotsu, feeling relieved, grinned.

"Sounds like a date to me," Jakotsu joked.

As they left for their dinner date, Sesshomaru happened to see them leave. "It looks like they really did hit it off," he said to Rin.

"Yeah, and if you don't pay attention and look over here, instead of watching them, they're going to pack your strat in the wrong case."

Sesshomaru gave his manager/producer and the cross-dresser one last look, before focusing on what his girlfriend had said. "Damn it! You're right again, Brat!" he said. "Idiot!! That goes in this case!!" the guitarist yelled at the roadie packing up his sighed irritably when his girlfriend hugged him from behind, and looking up, he caught one final glimpse of the cross-dresser and his manager/producer as they left on their date. _I hope you finally found what you're looking for, Ban..._


	2. Chapter 2: News Letter

News or Letter (kiss 2)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_FYI: The line Jak sings to Suikotsu is from the Shoop Shoop Song, by Rudy Clark._

_An onnagata is a male actor in female Kabuki roles. Jakotsu puts a modern spin on this traditional art form._

_Okama: Japanese slang for an effeminate man, especially a drag queen, and can also refer to one's behind or anus. It also means a pot. When used to refer to a gay man it can have negative connotations._

888

Bankotsu stared at the phone for several minutes, before picking the receiver up, and dialing.

"_Hello?"_

"Hello, Oba-chan? It's me, Ban."

"_Hello, Bankotsu. Is everything alright?"_

"Yes. Everything okay with you?"

"_Yes. So?" _Bankotsu's aunt prompted; her voice full of amusement.

"I've got good news!! I met the love of my life yesterday!"

"_You did? Who is she?"_

"Ummm... she's a he, Oba-chan."

"_I see."_

"You're not upset?"

"_No. Love is love, Bankotsu. It has no gender. And if this person makes you happy, then that's all that counts."_

"Thanks, Oba-chan."

"_Don't mention it. So, what's his name and what is he like?"_

"Hibiya Jackson, although, he's known professionally as 'Jakotsu-chan.' Ummm... what's he like? Well, he's funny and outrageous, and easy to listen to and he's beautiful..."

"_Beautiful?"_

"Yeah, he dresses up like a woman professionally and he's drop dead gorgeous."

"_Ah...So he's an onnagata? It takes a long time to become very good at that profession. He's very much older than you, then?" _ his aunt said, carefully keeping the hope that this Jakotsu-chan was not an okama out of her voice, for she felt her nephew deserved better than that.

"Oh no... he's only a few years older than I am, Oba-chan. And he only does kabuki when he can't get another job."

"_So how good an onnagata can he be?"_

"Very good! If you'd seen him, you'd know. I've known women who don't do half as good as job at being one than he does. When he dresses up, Oba-chan, he becomes a woman... it's really amazing to see. I wish you could have come to the shoot yesterday. Wait! You still read those glamour magazines, right?"

"_Yes...?"_

"He's probably in one of them. Sessh saw him in a Maybelline ad in one of girlfriend's magazines."

"_I'll have a look later, Bankotsu."_

"Okay. I really want you to meet him, Oba-chan. I think you'd like him."

"_If he makes you as happy as you sound, then I'm sure I will love him."_

Bankotsu laughed. "You're the best, Oba-chan."

"_I love you too, Bankotsu. Bye..."_

"Bye..." Bankotsu hung up.

888

On the other side of Tokyo, Jakotsu picked up the phone in his apartment and dialed.

"_Hello?"_

"Hey, Sui! Guess what?!" the cross-dresser said excitedly.

"_What?"_ Suikotsu replied sleepily. As a pediatrician, he had been on call last night at the hospital where he ran a clinic and he had just gotten home after spending the night dealing with a young patient's parents.

"I met the most gorgeous, wonderful, adorable guy on the planet! We went out on a date after work and I had the best time!"

"_Oh..."_ his friend yawned into the phone. _"Sorry, I just got home myself."_

"I'm the one who should be sorry, Sui. I didn't mean to wake you."

"_I'm not mad, Jak. I'm glad you found someone special, but aren't your rushing things a bit?"_

"It's been two years, Sui. I think we both need to put Naraku and Kikyou behind us and get on with life."

"_True," _Suikotsu said thoughtfully_. "So does this paragon of manliness have a name?"_

Jakotsu laughed. "Kusao Bankotsu."

"_Like the record producer? Are you sure he's not bullshitting you?"_

"Nope, because he is the record producer!"

Suikotsu, now fully awake, said, _"You're kidding me!"_

Jakotsu giggled. "No! You know how I knew it was going to be good?"

"_How?"_

"When he kissed me!"

Suikotsu chuckled on the end of the line.

"I know it sounds corny and clichéd, but it's true! It was so unexpected, Sui. I was completely caught off guard by it."

"_Yeah?"_

"Yeah! I've been kissed plenty of times by guys, most of them looking to see if being with me is the same as being with a woman, but this time it was different. I'm sure it started out that way for him, but something changed... I don't know what it was and I don't even think he knew what it was, but it was like something out of a cheap, trashy, romance novel, you know?"

"_No, I don't, but I'll take your word for it."_

"'And if you want to know if he loves you so...'" Jakotsu sang. "'It's in his kiss...'"

Suikotsu laughed. _"You're a nut, you know that?"_

"Yeah... but this lil nut is deliriously in love."

Suikotsu chuckled. _"Tell me something I don't already know."_

"I know, I'm fool, Sui, but what can I say?"

"_That's why we all love you, Jak. Still, I'd feel better if you took things slow. I don't want to see you getting hurt again, okay?"_

"I know, you've always been such a good friend to me and I appreciate it."

"_No problem."_

"And I feel badly I woke you. Anyway, I'd better go as he promised to call me this afternoon."

"_Then I guess he's a keeper."_ Suikotsu chuckled. _"Maybe we can meet for lunch in the next few days and you can tell me all about him." _

"Sure!"

"_Bye, Jak."_

"Bye, Sui!"

888

Sesshomaru looked over at his friend and producer/manger. Seeing that he was in a bit of a daze, he reached over and cued the mike for him. "That was good, little brother. We can lay down the vocal tracks tomorrow," he said, tilting his head towards Bankotsu, and shrugging.

Inuyasha nodded and took off his headphones. Unplugging his guitar, and ignoring the others, the blond guitarist left to start packing it away.

"Whenever you're ready we can go," Sesshomaru said as he stood up to leave. "All the major tracks have been laid down and all we need now are the vocals and we can start mixing this puppy in two days." When Bankotsu made no move to go, or any sign that he had heard him, Sesshomaru said, "Earth to, Bankotsu. Come in, Ban. Over." He waved his hand in front of the younger man's face.

"Sessh?"

"Aah, you're alive!" Sesshomaru grinned. "How was your trip to outer space and back?"

Bankotsu rolled his eyes and grinned sheepishly. "Good."

"Oh good... So anything you want to tell me?" The blond guitarist quirked his eyebrow at him as he leaned against the sound board and folded his arms neatly across his chest.

"Like what?"

"Like your date with Jakotsu. I saw you two leaving together and you were late for work this morning and umm..." Sesshomaru waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Bankotsu shook his head. "It was just dinner and back to his place for some tea, Nosey. And don't give me that face; nothing happened because I had to leave early. I was late because I overslept this morning."_ Not to mention that I called my aunt about it, but you don't need to know that._

"Well?"

"Well what?" Bankotsu said peevishly.

"That's it? That's all the news fit to print? Tea and crumpets and nothing else? No ripping each other's clothes off, no rolling around in designer sheets, no hot steamy dog-sex... No nothing?"

"Nope. My date was exactly the same as the ones you go on with Rin except Jak and I didn't go to the arcade."

Sesshomaru chuckled. "You're kidding."

"I kid you not, Sessh. You know, maybe if you got some help for your Lolita complex, you'd have a normal sex life instead of listening to everyone else's gory details."

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. "I guess it's true what they say, 'no news is good news,' hunh?"

Bankotsu grinned. "I did promise to call him today."

"Yeah?"

"Yup. So while you're telling everyone the news, I'm going to call him."

"Sounds good to me."

Bankotsu smiled and shook his head as he got up to leave. Walking out of the studio, he waved at Sesshomaru while patting his pockets, looking for his cell phone.

888

Jakotsu puttered about the tiny kitchen space, gathering the things together he needed to make himself a cup of tea. While he waited for the water to boil he dialed home.

"_Hello?"_

"Hey, Haha-ue! It's me Jak!"

"_Jackson. How is everything?"_

"Just peachy! How's everything with you and Chichi-ue?"

"_Fine. Your father wants to know when you're going to come to work with him."_

"Tell him I'll be there tomorrow if I can wear my black leather miniskirt," Jakotsu said tartly.

"_Jackson!"_ his mother said warningly.

"Sorry, Haha-ue. Anyway, I'm too happy to get in argument about getting a 'real job.' You want to know why?"

"_Why, my son?"_ Jakotsu could hear the smile returning to her voice.

Jakotsu sighed dreamily. "Haha-ue, I met someone special yesterday."

"_Yes? Is she from a good family?"_

"Haha-ue, it's not a she, it's a he. Please, don't say anything, Haha-ue. It's not a phase I'm ever going to grow out of and the quicker you and Chichi-ue accept that, the happier you'll be."

Jakotsu heard his mother sigh.

"_So this... man, makes you happy, my son?"_

"Yes..." Jakotsu took a deep breath to calm himself as he felt his eyes stinging with happy tears at his mother's effort to understand him. "He does. He's very wealthy, Haha-ue. Any girl would be lucky to have him."

"_Then I will be happy for you."_

"Thanks, Haha-ue."

"_You're welcome, Jackson. Just try not to make a public spectacle out of yourself, okay?" She left the "embarrass your father" unsaid._

"I promise."

"_Bye, my son."_

"Bye, Haha-ue. Love you!"

"_I love you too, Jackson."_

888

Bankotsu looked around frantically for his cell phone. He had promised to call Jakotsu and since he had entered his phone number in his contacts, it would have been a simple matter to call up the number and hit "send" and have it dial it for him. Since he could not find his phone, this called for desperate measures. He walked into his office and closed the door behind him. Opening his laptop, he quickly went to his email page.

"Great! It's still here!" he said to himself when he spotted Jakotsu's email address. After a quick copy and paste, he was busy composing an email he prayed the cross-dresser would get.

"_Hey Jak!_

"_I'm sorry, I haven't called you yet. Stupid me lost my cell phone and with it, your phone number. I want to thank you for the great time I had last night and I hope we can do it again real soon._

"_Ban"_

He hit send and closed his laptop.

888

Jakotsu gave the phone one last look and sadly walked out of the kitchen into the living room. He turned on the TV and sat down on the floor to watch. After a few minutes of channel surfing, and finding nothing good on, he decided to go online instead. He switched off the TV and got out his laptop from the closet. Sitting back down on the floor, he opened it and waited for it to boot up.

"Ooh! I've got mail."

The cross-dresser opened the email and read it. _He does like me...Yes!_ He quickly dashed off a reply.

"_Hi Ban,_

"_So that's what happened to you. Yes, I sat by the phone all morning wondering if you'd call. And yes, I was a little disappointed when you didn't, but somehow, your simple little email made me feel a lot better. I don't know if it was the kind of old fashioned feel to it like a letter or what, but it was really sweet!_

"_Of course I would love to do it again real soon! Email me back the details, okay?_

"_Jak"_

The cross-dresser hit send and waited. A few minutes later he had a reply. _Tonight!! Yes!! I'm going on another date!! _Laughing happily, Jakotsu hugged himself while he thought about what to wear for his date. He smiled as he wondered where Bankotsu would take him...


	3. Chapter 3:Jolt!

Jolt! (kiss 3)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple, incase you haven't already guessed, is Ban/Jak._

888

"So drink Jolt! energy drink when you need a quick pick me up!" Jakotsu smiled at the camera as he held up the can. _Please don't make me drink any more of this shit or I'm going to puke my guts out..._

"Cut! That's a wrap!" the commercial's director cried.

_Thank heaven!_ Jakotsu sighed as the director came over to him.

"Thank you for you time, Jakotsu-san. It was a pleasure working with you. Perhaps we'll get the chance to work together again sometime."

Jakotsu smiled. "Perhaps..." He nodded at the director. "If you'll excuse me?" the cross-dresser said when he spotted his boyfriend.

"Of course."

Jakotsu walked towards where his boyfriend waited. "Hey there," he said softly.

"Hi," Bankotsu said taking the cross-dresser's hand. He tilted his head up to kiss Jakotsu's cheek. "You finished?"

"Yeah..." Jakotsu frowned when he noticed the can of Jolt! in Bankotsu's hand. "Eww... Don't tell me you like that crap?"

Bankotsu grinned. "It's good." He finished the can. "Aaah..."

The cross-dresser made a face. "I suppose one can isn't all that bad, but after drinking as much as I did today, I feel sick." He sighed. "I also don't think I'll be able to sleep for a week, I feel so jittery from that crap." Jakotsu held up his hands and shook them.

Bankotsu chuckled. "You'll be okay, Sweetness. Besides, you can sleep in if you want tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah."

"So there you go," Bankotsu said as his boyfriend nodded tiredly.

They walked over to Jakotsu's dressing room in companionable silence. Entering it, Jakotsu closed the door behind them. When he turned around, Bankotsu pulled him close.

"You were really good out there. I'm surprised they didn't pick you for that play."

Jakotsu sighed. "Ban honey, I tried out for the female lead, and I was told it was a pity I wasn't a 'real woman.' If I'm supposed to be an actor, then it shouldn't matter if I'm playing a woman or a radish. Idiots! Why is okay to do commercials in drag, but not plays or TV shows?"

"That's not true; you had a part in that play last month."

"Playing a woman in kabuki for a cultural festival doesn't count. Those roles were traditionally done by men after they banned women from the stage." He sighed again. "Maybe my parents are right; maybe I should get a real job so that I can afford to move out that old student place. Or if I really want to do something artsy, I suppose I could always be a hair and make-up artist."

"You wouldn't be happy doing that any more than I would. Don't worry; the video's getting a ton of air time. And people are beginning to recognize you on the street, so who knows? You may get that dream job real soon."

Jakotsu kissed him. "Thank you for cheering me up, my lil dumpling, but I don't know..." He rested his cheek on the shorter man's head. "Anyway, I'd better wash this crap off my face so we can get hell out of here."

Bankotsu laughed. "Sounds like a plan to me."

"Now I know why I love you so much," Jakotsu said as he pulled away from him. "Can you help me out of this?" He turned around and held up his hair. Bankotsu took the hint and reached up to pull the zipper down the back of the dress Jakotsu wore. "Thanks..." the cross-dresser said. He stepped out of the dress and hung it up.

Bankotsu made himself comfortable on the only other chair in the tiny dressing room, watching as Jakotsu sat in front of the mirror and pulled his hair up out of the way. The cross-dresser wrapped an old scarf around his head to hold his bangs out of the way. Reaching for a jar of cold cream, he opened it and slathered it on his face, before taking several handfuls of tissues to wipe it off. Once he was satisfied he had removed most of it, he got up and washed his face in the sink, only to sit down and repeat the whole process. When his face was clean and make-up free, he added a little bit of plum liner to his eyes and mascara. Pinching his cheeks for some color, he preened a bit in the mirror and Bankotsu chuckled. Smiling back at his reflection in the mirror, Jakotsu got up to get dressed in his street wear. "Let's go get some dinner, I don't know about you, but I'm starving," the cross-dresser said, pulling his favorite t-shirt over his head.

"Okay."

888

Jakotsu hung up the phone and sighed. He had just committed to a month's work, touring various cities all over Japan as the Jolt! Girl, and just when things were starting to get serious with Bankotsu too.

_How can I be such an idiot?!_ he mentally berated himself. _Because you need the work so you can afford to pay your rent and eat this month. _

_But a month?! He's going to forget you for sure!_ the nagging argumentive voice in his head pointed out.

_Don't be stupid! Ban'll understand, _a hopeful part of his mind said.

_You think when Youkai kicks off their tour he's going to stay behind with you? You're out of you mother-loving mind if you do. _

_But he'd take me with! I know he would._

_Maybe he would and maybe he wouldn't. But if he did, it's only because he's in the position to do so. _

_Hey! Maybe I can take him too!_

_Yeah, and maybe pigs can fly. He's not going to come as he can't, he has responsibilities too, you know. _

_I know, I know!! But..._

_But nothing. Call him and explain to him you leave in two days. If he loves you, he'll understand, _a calm little voice in his head said.

"Shut up!!" Jakotsu yelled at the warring voices of hope and doubt in his head. He rubbed his forehead tiredly. "I'll call him already; just leave me alone so I can think..."

The cross-dresser stared at the phone helplessly, before finally picking up the receiver and dialing. He counted the rings until Bankotsu picked up.

"_Hello, Kusao speaking? Can I help you?"_

"Hey there..."

"_Jak? Sweetness? Is something wrong?"_

"Yeah..."

"_What?! Are you hurt? In trouble?! What?!"_

Jakotsu sighed. "I called because I have some bad news..."

"_What?" _Bankotsu suddenly felt afraid.

"Jolt! called and they um..."

"_What? They're canceling the ad campaign? I'm sorry to hear that." _ He hoped Jakotsu could not hear how relieved he was that they were not breaking up.

"No, it's nothing like that. In fact the ad's doing really well; their sales are up twenty percent."

"_That's great, Jak!"_

"No, it's not!" the cross-dresser wailed. "They want me to tour around, making appearances all over the country. I'll be gone for a month, maybe longer and... and, ummm..."

"_And?"_ Bankotsu gently prompted even though he was afraid the older man really was trying to find a way to break up with him.

"I'll miss you," Jakotsu said softly.

"_I'll miss you too, but this could be your big break and all."_

"Not really, I think sales went up because of the video. It's been airing on MTV and so has the ad. I think people are starting to put things together..."

"_You don't sound happy about it."_

"I wasn't aware I was supposed to be happy about being away from you for a month or so," Jakotsu said tartly.

"_That's not what I meant. What if I come with you?"_

"You can't do that, Silly."

"_Then I'll just have to settle for calling you every night."_

"Yeah...?"

"_Yeah. So how soon do you have to leave?"_

"Two days..."

"_Then we'll just have to make them count. You know, so they'll last for a whole month or more because you know I'm going to miss you."_

"Yeah?" Jakotsu sighed happily. "I'm going to miss you too."

"_I'll be by later to help you pack and afterwards we can go out for dinner."_

"Sounds like a plan to me," Jakotsu teased.

"_Sounds like a date to me," _Bankotsu teased back.

"I'll see you later then."

"_Bye..."_

Jakotsu hung up the phone. _This is going to be the longest month in my life without you. At least I know you'll miss me too. Damn you, Jolt! Sickly sweet and now you're keeping me away from my dumpling for a whole month! I hope you're happy... _

_888_

_Author's note: Tbc in kiss number four..._


	4. Chapter 4: Our Distance amd that person

Our distance and that person that I love (kiss 4)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_FYI: Geiko is the proper term for a geisha._

_Maiko is the term used for an apprentice geiko. _

888

Jakotsu flopped down on the empty bus seat. He was tired of smiling, and having his picture taken with numerous business men. Rubbing the back of his neck tiredly, all he could think of was a nice hot bath, and climbing into bed. Jakotsu let his thoughts stray to his new boyfriend._ Too bad you're not here, my lil dumpling, you have no idea how lovely it would be to crawl into bed and curl up next to you... _The cross-dresser sighed softly. _Sorry, Ban honey, I think I'd better wait until I get back to my room before I start dreaming about you, otherwise Jolt! isn't going to be too happy with me when they see how happy you make me. _He smiled, and looking out the window, he watched the street lights drift by. _I hate being so far away from you. It was so nice when you surprised me in Yokohama like that. Especially that kiss on the Ferris wheel._

Jakotsu brushed his fingers against his lips, remembering the kiss. He had had a free day in Yokohama and Ban had surprised him by showing up and taking him on an impromptu sightseeing tour, ending in Cosmo World amusement park. That had been such fun and it was so painful when Bankotsu had to go home the next day.

He stared sadly at his reflection in the tour bus window. _Two more weeks of torture without you... _He looked away and closed his eyes. _Thank goodness this is all over in Osaka..._

888

Bankotsu sat by the phone and waited for Jakotsu to be back in his room so he could call the cross-dresser and talk about their day. He hated being away from the cross-dresser as much as Jakotsu hated being away from him. The weekend they had had in Yokohama was pure heaven in the younger man's humble opinion. Jakotsu was in rare form as they roamed the streets, taking in the sites. He had worn the T-shirt the company had given him over a pair of jeans, while still marginally maintaining the illusion he was a woman by adding a touch of make-up. Even though they were often stopped and Jakotsu had to pose for pictures and handout coupons for the energy drink, it was still fun.

Lunch in Chukagai, Yokohama's version of the ubiquitous Chinatown, was nice. They had found a tiny Chinese restaurant, that while crowded, the locals left them to enjoy their lunch of pepper steak, something Jakotsu was fond of from growing up in New York. After that, it was a trip to Comso World amusement park. The ride on the giant Ferris wheel was something Bankotsu knew he'd never forget as long as he lived. Enjoying a brief stop at the top, the two of them had looked out over the surrounding landscape. But the best part was when Jakotsu had turned to face him and Bankotsu took advantage of the situation, by leaning in to kiss him. They spent the trip down, kissing each other, the slight sensation of falling adding to fun. Unfortunately when the ride had ended so did the magic of the moment.

The young record producer smiled at the memory. He would have given anything at that moment to have the cross-dresser home. It was just too early in their relationship to have a long separation in his humble opinion.

888

Jakotsu exited the tour bus and made his way to his room as fast as possible without actually running. A simple "I have a headache" was all the excuse he needed to avoid a late night, socializing with the friends he had made from amongst the Jolt! employees traveling with them.

He opened the door to his room and entered, closing it behind him, and leaning against it. Jakotsu latched the hotel room door for the night. He quickly checked the time on his watch as he took off his shoes. He had five minutes to spare before Bankotsu would call.

Jakotsu hurried over to bed and sat down. The western style room was spacious and well appointed and the cross-dresser loved having the bath all to himself like he did at home. That simple luxury meant he could let his fantasies run wild about his boyfriend without attracting unwanted attention.

As he lay back on the bed, waiting for Bankotsu's call, he let his thoughts drift to the young record producer. They were taking their relationship slow, building a bond of friendship to compliment their romance. It was as if both of them knew deep down inside this was the person they wanted to "settle down with forever." So lust was left to the realm of fantasy, and the "here and now" was filled with holding hands and innocent kisses. The room they had shared in Yokohama was just like rooming together in a dorm or youth hostel. Neither one had expected the separate beds to turn out to be as fun as they did. They had spent half the night, listening to the other tell their life history.

When the phone rang, the nearly three hundred miles separating them vanished as Jakotsu picked up the phone. "Hey there..."

"_Hi! I didn't wake you, did I?"_

"No... I'm tired as I had a long day, but I wouldn't have been able to sleep if you didn't call. So how was your day?"

Bankotsu chuckled. _"I miss you too... As for my day, it was the same old, same old. The band has another song they want to pull as a single and Sessh has been insisting you get your ass back here A-sap so you can be in that video too."_

"You're kidding, right?"

"_Nope. Sessh really does want you to be in it, so don't sign on for any more weeks, okay?"_

"Oh... okay..." Jakotsu said tiredly.

"_What's wrong, Jak?"_

"Nothing..." _I thought you wanted me home cuz you missed me..._

"_You sure? You sound upset."_

"I'm tired, that's all..."

"_You want me to meet you in Osaka? You'll be there in what? Another week or two? I can fly up and book us a really nice room and we can do some touring and fly home together."_

"I thought you said Sessh wanted me home A-sap?"

"_He does... but I want some time alone with you first."_

"Yeah...?" Jakotsu smiled.

"_Yeah..." _ Bankotsu was also smiling.

"Okay! That sounds like fun! I always wanted to see the sites in Osaka. Ummm... Ban honey, do you think we could take a few days to go sightseeing in Kyoto too? There's some beautiful temples and shrines I'd love to visit there. Plus the place is full of maiko and geiko!!"

Bankotsu laughed._ "Yeah? I thought you wanted to go there because of all the television and movie studios."_

The cross-dresser also laughed. "There's that too... but the best part will be being there with you..." he trailed off softly.

"_Yeah... Anyway, I'd better go let you sleep as you have another full day of 'meet and greet' ahead of you."_

Jakotsu sighed. "Good night, Ban honey..."

"_Night, Sweetness..." _

They hung up their respective phones. Jakotsu flopped backwards onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. _Somehow the distance between us just got a lil shorter, my love..._ He smiled and got up and walked into the bathroom to take a quick shower before bed. Knowing that Bankotsu was willing to take time off to spend more than a day with him, made Jakotsu feel warm and fuzzy inside just thinking about it.


	5. Chapter 5: Ano sa

"Ano sa" (kiss 5)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_FYI: 30 kisses translates the title "ano sa" as "hey, you know..."_

_Almond's is a coffee house in Roppongi Crossing. It's a popular meeting place._

888

They were sitting around, during a break in the taping of Youkai's next music video, playing a game Rin called "ano sa." The object of the game was to pick someone at random and make an observation about them starting with "hey, you know..." since the band spoke English instead of Japanese. Because Rin was the most familiar with the game, she went first.

"Hey, you know, Naraku, I didn't know you dated Jakotsu."

"Yeah... It wasn't for long though," he said and Jakotsu nodded. "Although, it was fun while it had lasted." The keyboardist, grinning, winked at the cross-dresser, who shrugged in reply. Turning to his fellow bandmate, Naraku said, "Hey, you know, Miroku, I didn't know you were exactly one year older than Sango."

"Yup. I found that out while we were dating and I wanted to surprise her for her birthday." Miroku grinned. "Turns out we got a bigger surprise nine months later."

"Honey!!" Sango cried as she playfully hit him. "That's not true!! Koji was born nine months after we got married."

"I stand corrected by my lovely wife. Anyway..." the drummer smiled as he pulled his wife close. "Ummm... Hey, you know, Jakotsu, I didn't know you were dating our boss."

The cross-dresser giggled. "Well, since you guys were all taken..." he said as they laughed. "Honestly, it just sort of happened over lunch and the rest they say is history."

"May you two last as long as Miroku and Sango!" Sesshomaru chimed in.

"May we last even longer..." the cross-dresser said saucily amid much laughter. "Anyway, hey, you know, Inuyasha, I didn't know you really thought I was a girl."

"Yeah, well, uh..." Inuyasha stammered, his cheeks flushing beet red. "You're really good at it."

"Thanks!" Jakotsu said sweetly, playfully blowing a kiss his way.

"Yeah, whatever..." the rhythm guitarist rolled his eyes before continuing. "Hey, you know, Sesshomaru, I didn't know you have a thing for little girls and cross-dressers."

"Ah, mon petit frere...I have a 'thing' as you call it for many things." Sesshomaru grinned. "Like stealing your clothes when we had gym in school, giving you noogies, making fun of your tastes in women... No offence, Kagome, Jakotsu..." the blond guitarist smirked.

"None taken," they chorused.

"And uh... speaking of which, hey, you know, Kagome... I didn't know you were the one who talked my brother into dying his hair black."

"Yeah... I thought it would good on him and it does." She smiled lovingly at her husband. "Any-who... hey, you know, Sango, I didn't know Koji was a honeymoon baby."

"Yup... Although the way my husband tells it, I was preggers the minute he kissed me after saying, 'I do.'" She laughed and glanced at her friends, looking for the next player. "Hey, you know, Kagura, I didn't know that was your sister my brother's dating."

Kagura nodded. "Yup... It's a small world as they say. Apparently they met at Almond's, ditched their dates before they arrived, and spent the night clubbing. They wound up knocking on our door at six in the morning, looking for a place to crash." She laughed. "So who didn't get a turn yet...?"

Everyone pointed at Kikyou, who rolled her eyes at them.

Kagura grinned like a cat alone with the cream. "Hey, you know, Kikyou, I didn't know you gave up being a doctor's wife to be a groupie."

Kikyou stared at her like she was not there, before smiling her tight little smile. "Yeah... I wanted to see the world and live a little before I died." She stared at the cross-dresser. "You have a problem with that, Jakotsu?"

"No..." he said airily, refusing to rise to her bait.

Kikyou shrugged. "So I divorce Jakotsu's friend, Sui, and hooked up with Naraku. So umm... Hey, you know, Kouga, I didn't know..."

The game went about two rounds before Bankotsu walked over to them. As luck would have it, it was Jakotsu's turn to play. He smiled at his boyfriend. "Hey, you know, Ban honey, I didn't know you played guitar in your own band before you become a producer."

"Yeah... We were called Samurai." Bankotsu sighed and looked around at the expectant faces. "Hey, you know, you guys, I hate to be the bearer of bad news..." Ban said. "But we have to get back to work."

Everyone groaned playfully at him as they got up and went to get ready to go back to work on the video. The wives took their places as extras while the band pretty much did the same except for Sesshomaru and Jakotsu. Since their first video together was such a success, they reprised their roles. So as the song played and Sesshomaru lip-synced the lyrics, they went through the motions of a couple in love. The longer Bankotsu watched, he harder it was for him. He could not believe how jealous he was feeling over what really meant nothing more to Jakotsu than another job. Unable to stand it any longer, he slipped away into the shadows and left unnoticed.

888

Bankotsu waited for the cross-dresser to finish taping, in his dressing room. Looking around, the record producer found the place just as outrageous as its temporary owner. His street clothes were strewn across the sofa while his make-up was carefully lined up on the dressing table, emphasizing Jakotsu's dual nature. Bankotsu smiled as he continued to look around, thinking he could easily get used this calm chaos in his life. Sighing softly, he sat on the sofa and closed his eyes while he waited for Jakotsu's return.

"Hey, you know, Ban honey, I was looking for you..." Jakotsu said as he entered the room and spotted his boyfriend.

Bankotsu looked up at him sheepishly. "Sorry, I had a headache and I didn't feel like listening to that song over and over again."

"It's okay." Jakotsu walked over to the sofa and picked up his clothes, moving them out of the way, and sitting down next to his boyfriend. "I don't think I'd want to spend the afternoon watching you kiss Sessh either..."

Bankotsu chuckled. "I'm that transparent, hunh?"

"Nah... You're that sweet. We've only been together for a month and a half and already you're jealous of anyone who pays attention to me. I like that," Jakotsu said softly, putting his arm around Bankotsu. Leaning back against the sofa, the cross-dresser pulled his boyfriend close. Jakotsu held him while they sat there in companionable silence.

"Hey, you know, Sweetness..." Bankotsu said softly.

"What?"

"I could get used to this."

"I know what you mean." Jakotsu kissed the top of his boyfriend's head.

"It's nice..."

"Very nice..."

"Yeah..." Bankotsu snaked his arms around the cross-dresser and hugged him.

"Hey, you know..." Jakotsu said impishly.

"What?"

"I wish I could stay here forever..."

"Me too..." Bankotsu murmured, moving closer, and tilting his head up to kiss Jakotsu.


	6. Chapter 6: The space between a dream

The space between a dream and reality (kiss 6)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

888

"Acting is like existing in the space between a dream and reality," Jakotsu said. He rolled a can of hot coffee between his hands, trying to warm them.

"How so?" Bankotsu asked. He took a sip of his coffee, enjoying the warmth as it traveled down to his stomach.

They were sitting on a park bench, watching the sun set, as the cool autumn afternoon faded into night.

"Well, when you act, after a while you sort of become the character you're playing while the filming or taping is going on. And yet, a part of you knows that you're really pretending, but you have to keep pretending really hard to be them or else your performance'll suck," he said ruefully.

Bankotsu laughed. "Don't tell me you've had a sucky performance."

It was the cross-dresser's turn to laugh. "Nah... They tell me I'm a natural. I guess all those years of pretending to be 'normal' so as not upset my parents paid off." He sipped his coffee.

The younger man nodded. "Just so you know, I don't think you're abnormal or anything... maybe a little eccentric..." they both laughed. "But definitely normal."

"Thanks, Ban honey..." Jakotsu leaned against his boyfriend.

"Any time..."He put his arm around Jakotsu, resting his head against the cross-dresser's. "Hey, Sweetness?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think it's possible to exist in the space between a dream and reality without acting?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know, like when you're with someone you love and everything sort of fades away. Like you're in your own little world?"

"Hmmm... I never thought of that..." Jakotsu tilted his face up to look at Bankotsu.

"Haven't you ever been in love before?"

The cross-dresser sat up and shook his head. "No... I can't say that I have." He smiled impishly. "I've been in like, and I've been in lust, but I can't say that I've been in love before..." Closing his eyes, he leaned over and kissed Bankotsu. "Until now..." Jakotsu said when he broke the kiss.

"Yeah?" Bankotsu said; a cocky grin tugging at his lips as his boyfriend leaned against him again.

"Yup!" Jakotsu grinned. "If this is the space between a dream and reality, then I want to take up permanent residence." He sighed. Two seconds later, he sat up and smacked himself in the forehead, running his hand down his face in embarrassment. "Oh crap, tell me I didn't just say that," he groaned.

"Why?" Bankotsu chuckled.

"Because I sound like the heroine in some cheap-ass romance novel, that's why," he said ruefully.

"Well then if you're the heroine, then I must be the hero," the younger man teased.

Jakotsu laughed. "Okay, Heero, although, I have to say you look more like Duo, but whatever..." he shrugged. "Oh, just take me away to that dreamy place that's too impossibly good to be real." He sipped his coffee.

"I thought you said you didn't want to have sex so early in our relationship," Bankotsu deadpanned.

The cross-dresser half laughed, half choked on his mouthful of coffee and spat it out as he laughed himself silly. He laughed so hard, he was crying, his mascara leaving black trails down his cheeks.

Bankotsu patted him on the back as he repeated, "I'm sorry, Sweetness!" over and over again until Jakotsu was able to get control himself.

"Ban honey, you're priceless!!" Jakotsu hugged his boyfriend. "And that's why I love you!"

"So does this mean you've changed your mind about the sex?"

"No..." Jakotsu kissed him again. "It's just that I'm afraid and I really don't want to talk about it now..." he said softly.

"Okay." Bankotsu smiled. "But I can still dream about making it a reality, right?"

"Yeah... Because the minute we do make it reality, we'll be in that space between a dream and reality."

"Hunh?" Bankotsu looked at his boyfriend like he suddenly sprouted another two heads.

"You said it before; sex. When you and the special person that you love with all your heart and they love you back the same way, have sex and you reach the point of no return, well, that's the other place where you exist in the space between a dream and reality."

"You're a nut, you know that?"

"But that's why you love me," Jakotsu said saucily.

"Exactly..." Bankotsu said as he leaned in to kiss him...


	7. Chapter 7: Superstar

Superstar (kiss7)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_FYI: The Yamaha music store is an actual place in Tokyo's Ginza. It has four floors and it often has live performances. In addition to instruments, it appears they also carry CDs, sheet music, as well as books on music. _

_Pachinko is a cross between a slot machine and a pinball machine. The player is passive during the game; all they do is control the speed with the steel balls go through the machine. Prizes are awarded when you win and to get around Japan's gambling laws, you first pick up your prize in the pachinko parlor's gift shop, before going around the corner to exchange it for cash in a special window._

888

"Sweetness, it's official, you're a superstar whether you like it or not," Bankotsu said as another female fan shyly approached their table, pen and paper in hand.

Jakotsu sighed and signed his autograph. A quick picture later, they were left alone to try and finish their lunch. "But I don't want to be a superstar," the cross-dresser whined.

Bankotsu laughed. "Why not? You're now in a position to call the shots. We'll pay you double to appear in any videos you do for the band, you've got that nighttime soap lined up and who had fun this past summer in that play?"

Jakotsu laughed. "I did... but, why does everyone have to bother me all the time? Oh hell, here's another one," he said irritably. Jakotsu plastered a sunny smile on his face. "Hello."

The fan-girl's eyes went wide. She stood there, looking like a fish out of water while her mouth flapped open wordlessly, before she found her voice. "He- hello..." she stammered.

Jakotsu took the paper and pen from her hand without saying a word. "Your name?" he finally asked.

"Kiku..."

"What a pretty name..." he said as he signed an autograph for her. Looking up, and smiling, he handed it to her.

"Thank you..."

"You're welcome."

As quietly as she had approached them, the girl left, leaving them to finish their lunch in peace.

888

As they walked along, window shopping in Shibuya, Jakotsu was besieged with fans. When Bankotsu pointed out a large billboard with his likeness, the cross-dresser looked like he wanted to cry. A quick phone call and Bankotsu's driver pulled up ten minutes later.

Once they were inside, Bankotsu turned to his lover and asked, "Sweetness, do you mind if we stop at Yamaha's? I understand they do live performances there and I was thinking of booking Youkai there."

"Yeah... I guess so."

"You sure? If you don't want to, we don't have to."

"That's okay, Ban honey, I don't mind." Jakotsu sighed and leaned back against the car seat. "If I'm a superstar like you say I am, maybe we can get you special treatment?" _And hopefully get out of there before anyone spots me..._

"Thanks, Sweetness," Bankotsu said as he squeezed Jakotsu's hand. Leaning forward, he told the driver to head over the Yamaha music store in Ginza. Fifteen minutes later, they pulled up in front of the building and got out.

Jakotsu looked around, relieved that passersby paid no more attention to him than their New York counterparts had that time he had gone to a medical conference with his friend, Suikotsu, as his wife. This time when he smiled, he meant it as they entered the building. The cross-dresser had a brief moment of panic when a few people inside the store stared at them and whispered, but other than that, they were largely ignored.

The two of them wandered through the store, Bankotsu briefly stopping to play a few scales on one of the many pianos on display. He laughed when Jakotsu clapped and called out, "Bravo!!" However, what really caught his eye were the cases of acoustic guitars. He longed to have a store clerk to take one out for him to play.

"Would you like me to get you one?" Jakotsu asked softly.

"Nah... I have a beautiful Yamaha at home. I really don't need two." He turned to face his taller boyfriend. "And don't you dare get any ideas about buying me an electric one either. There are plenty of them at the studio if I feel like playing one."

"Okay..." The cross-dresser pouted.

"It's not going to work, Sweetness. I don't play often enough for you to waste your money on it. And don't get ideas about suggesting one of your fans get you one too."

"I can't help it if they want to lavish expensive gifts on me," Jakotsu replied.

"Yeah? Just remember that next time someone asks you for an autograph and a picture together," Bankotsu said dryly. "It's called 'the price you pay for fame.'"

"I know... but I wish they wouldn't intrude on my special time alone with you." The cross-dresser frowned while a couple of young guys shyly approached them. Sighing, he plastered a pleasant smile on his face only to get the shock of his life when they ignored him.

"Kusao-san...?" the taller of the two said.

"Yes?" Bankotsu said as he turned to face them.

"Could we, ummm...?"

The two stared at each other and back at Bankotsu.

Jakotsu, although he was relieved he was not recognized, was still miffed about it at the same time. As much as he hated the fuss and the disturbance, he loved the attention because it banished his feelings of inadequacy and insecurity. Now they all came rushing back, especially since he had chosen to accentuate his femininity, a look Bankotsu was rather fond of.

"Yes?" Bankotsu's voice pulled him from his reverie.

"Ummm...?"

"Kusao-san would be happy to sign an autograph for you. How did you know it was him, if I may ask?" the cross-dresser said.

"He's the wizard behind Youkai's sound!"

"Yeah! How can you not know who he is?" the shorter of the pair said.

Jakotsu nodded. "So you could say he's a star, no?

"Star?! He's a superstar!!"

"Yeah!!"

The cross-dresser giggled as Bankotsu sighed his name for them. "Do you have a camera phone? I'll take your picture together," he added helpfully.

"You willl? Thanks, Onee-san!"

"No problem." Jakotsu chuckled as he took their picture.

"Thank you both," the taller fan said before he walked away with his friend.

"You're welcome," Bankotsu called out to them as they waved. Turning to his lover, he said, "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Yeah." Jakotsu giggled as Bankotsu quirked an eyebrow at him. "Seriously..." He looked away, unsure of how to put it into words. Looking his lover in the eye, Jakotsu continued, "It hurt when they had no idea who I was." He sighed. "But then I was happy for you as I felt badly about you always being in my shadow lately."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah..." Jakotsu leaned forward and stole a quick kiss. "Being who I am, and what I am... it's hard to feel accepted and liked..."

"Well, I love you. That should count for a lot."

Jakotsu nodded. "It does. But I'm also scared that it'll all go away and I'll be left with nothing..." he trailed off softly.

"Well, if it helps, I don't plan on going anywhere in the future." Bankotsu took Jakotsu's hand and gently squeezed it.

"Yeah...?" The cross-dresser smiled.

"Yup."

"Oh good," Jakotsu said impishly. "So maybe we can take turns being the superstar?"

Bankotsu laughed. "Sounds like a plan to me."

"A plan?" The cross-dresser sighed dramatically. "I was hoping it sounded more like a date..." he teased.

"Alright, my little superstar, let's go on date. I can always call them and set up a proper meeting."

"Can we go play pachinko?"

"How many cheap knock-off 'Hello Kitties' can I win for you?"

"Ummm... Win one first, and I'll let you know." Jakotsu giggled.

"Okay, you've got a date and a deal," Bankotsu said as they made their way outside the music store...


	8. Chapter 8: Our own world

Our own world (kiss 8)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_The following was inspired by a review Ranuel left me for a previous kiss over at ._

_FYI: Komikku is a way of referring to manga tankobon, what we in the West call a manga or graphic novel._

_McDonald's are also found in Japan. The menu is relatively the same, except there isn't any "super-sizing" and they also have items unique to Japan, such as a shrimp burger. _

888

"What are they giggling about?" Bankotsu whispered as Jakotsu picked up a dumpling from off of his boyfriend's plate and ate it.

The cross-dresser looked over at the band's wives, who were now pretending to be very interested in their own lunches. He laughed. "They're just jealous because we're in own little world where no one exists but ourselves," he said smugly.

"Hunh?" Bankotsu said, quirking his eyebrow at him.

"You know; that sickly sweet little place that only two people who are deliriously in love with each other can be in."

Bankotsu looked at his boyfriend like he had three heads. "Deliriously in love, hunh? You make it sound like junior high."

"Well, it is in a way... We hold hands; we go to movies, the pachinko parlor, which would be the same as going to the arcade. We go out to eat and the only reason we don't go to McDonald's is we have more money now than we did back then," the cross-dresser said. He picked up another dumpling off of his boyfriend's plate and ate it. Swallowing, he said, "Not to mention, I'm here now unlike back then and there wasn't an internet so we couldn't even meet that way. So maybe it's good we met now."

"True, true... and stop eating my food!" Bankotsu playfully slapped Jakotsu's hand away.

"Sorry... But they taste better than ones I have." The cross-dresser pouted and his boyfriend rolled his eyes in response. "And even though being in one's thirties isn't considered middle aged, it seems we've gone back to our childhoods."

"Ooookaaaay..." the young record producer drawled.

"No, seriously. Ummm... instead of junior high, let's say senior high. How many times has someone come looking for you, found us together and told us to 'get a room'?"

"A few..."

"And if I wasn't saving myself for marriage..." They both laughed. "... we would have done far more than we have," Jakotsu continued seriously. "I'm sorry, Ban honey, it's just that-"

"I'm not going to pressure you into anything you don't want to do, Sweetness."

"I know that..." Jakotsu took a deep breath and let it out in an angry huff. "Damn it!! Why couldn't I have met you before him?"

"Because things had to happen this way, that's why," Bankotsu said softly, reaching out to put a hand gently on Jakotsu's.

The cross-dresser smiled and sighed softly. "My knight in shining armor, hunh?" He narrowed his eyes at his boyfriend and shook his finger at him. "No, you're not a knight... you're more like that samurai in that series they just finished publishing the last komikku volume for, although, I can't think of its name. It's the one with the lil redhead who's short, mysterious, cute and cuddly..."

"Himura Kenshin..." Bankotsu said softly. "He's from Rurouni Kenshin."

"That's the name... you like that one too?"

"Yeah, and the anime. So I remind you of the Battousai, hunh?" he smirked.

Jakotsu giggled. "A little bit." He leaned his forehead against Bankotsu's. "You treat me with the same respect he gives Kaoru and I like that and appreciate it..." he said softly. Tilting his head to the side and, closing his eyes, Jakotsu kissed him as they slid back into their own little world.

Bankotsu deepened the kiss. He used his free hand to snake his fingers through the cross-dresser's hair, holding him as close as he could since they sat across from each other at the table in the studio's cafeteria. Jakotsu's breath, which ran alternately hot and cold against his cheek, kept Bankotsu firmly rooted in their own little world. The soft silkiness of Jakotsu's hair and the slightly rough, dry skin of his hand, not mention the warm moist confines of his lover's mouth, made it easy for Bankotsu to ignore the giggles and sighs that floated over from the wives' table. The catcalls from the band when they sat down to eat were a different matter. He broke the kiss to say something to them, but his words were swallowed up in another kiss from Jakotsu.

Breaking it, the cross-dresser whispered against his lips, "Ignore them..." He kissed his boyfriend again.

"I can't," Bankotsu whispered back. "Now they're throwing napkin balls at us."

"Pretend they're rose petals..."

"I can't," Bankotsu repeated when a balled up napkin hit him in the head.

"That's it!" Jakotsu hissed. He pulled away from his boyfriend and turned around to face the band. "You know, if you want some that badly, there's a table full of ladies over there who'd be more than happy to oblige you. If it's a lil boy action you want, your fellow bandmate, Naraku, has been known to swing that way when the mood hits him. Now if you don't mind...?" The cross-dresser turned back around just as a napkin ball hit him in the head. He shook his head at Bankotsu.

"Do us all a favor and get a room, Jak, before my brother needs therapy!" Sesshomaru called out amid much chuckling from the band.

"Too late, Sessh. Your loli-fetish has already put him there. Apologies, Rin-chan!"

"No offense taken, Jak," she replied.

"As for a room, Sessh, we were here first, so if we want to make mad passionate love on the table, you're gonna hafta deal with it." Jakotsu looked over his shoulder and stuck his tongue out at him.

Oddly enough, both Inuyasha and Bankotsu had groaned at his statement.

"That's it!" Bankotsu stood up to go. "Come on, Sweetness, let's go."

"Where?" Jakotsu also stood up.

The younger man grinned wickedly. "To our own lil world..."

Jakotsu giggled. "Yeah?"

"Yup!"

"Then what are we waiting for?"

"Don't know..." Bankotsu shrugged as he put an arm around his boyfriend's waist and led him towards his office...


	9. Chapter 9: Dash

Dash (kiss 9)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_Prompted by Jen's suggestion they have a mad dash to the bedroom..._

888

Once Jakotsu had decided to give into his lust and consummate their relation, Bankotsu was often left wondering what hit him. There were days when the cross-dresser played the shy ingénue and took things slow and then there were days like this. Days where Jakotsu was worse than the whore of Babylon and the minute he kicked his shoes off in Bankotsu's apartment, he made a mad dash to his bedroom. So the younger man simply sighed and thanked his lucky stars he finally found the love of his life, while following the trail of shed clothing.

Bankotsu also added to the little trail as it was part of game. But instead of dashing down the hall like Jakotsu, the younger man took his time. His shirt was slowly unbuttoned and tossed aside to land on top of the cross-dresser's Hello Kitty t-shirt, and his pants soon followed a few steps later. They came to rest near his boyfriend's denim mini and so on. Bankotsu's boxers landed neatly on top of Jakotsu's lucky red panties. Two hops and skip later; he had removed his socks to saunter slowly into his bedroom, pausing briefly in the doorway for his lover to get an eyeful.

The come hither look Jakotsu gave him in repsonse was all Bankotsu needed to quickly dash the remaining steps to the bed and pounce. There was something about the sight of the cross-dresser in a red garter belt and stockings that turned Bankotsu into a quivering ball of pure lust. And having those long legs wrapped around him as well as those arms in warm loving embrace, was simply heaven.

Bankotsu nuzzled his lover's cheek with his nose, working his way down to that luscious red mouth of his. As he did so, Jakotsu's soft panting increased, his warm breath hitting the younger man's cheek, sending shivers down his spine as it cooled. Capturing Jakotsu's lips, he kissed him long and hard. Bankotsu felt his lover tense beneath him, and the next thing he knew, Jakotsu was squirming against him. That was his signal to move lower.

Breaking the kiss, Bankotsu briefly nibbled on his lover's lower lip. As Jakotsu's panting deepened into moaning, the younger man trailed a line of soft butterfly kisses down his neck and across his collar bone. Bankotsu slid lower down to playfully flick his tongue across the cross-dresser's nipple.

Jakotsu slid his hands up into Bankotsu's hair. He would have given anything at that moment to have his lover's hair unbound from its customary braid. Jakotsu loved playing with the long silky strands. Brushing his hair and, washing it was high on his list of pleasures with Bankotsu not involving sex. So he simply snaked his fingers as best as he could in his lover's hair, whimpering softly, while Bankotsu continued to trail his way down the cross-dresser's torso. The hard scrape of his lover's chin followed by a feather soft kiss combined with the gentle pressure of his hands as he slid downwards pushed the cross-dresser closer to release. Hard, soft, gentle, warm, cold all mixed together in one big sensory overload. When Bankotsu engulfed him with his mouth, it was all Jakotsu could do to hold back as long as he did, before climaxing.

Bankotsu slowly inched his way back up his lover's body to capture his mouth in a kiss. The kiss would deepen while Bankotsu helped the cross-dresser prepare for his entering him, not that he needed much beyond a finger or two and a bit of lube. Their lovemaking was as rough and primal as their grunts and moans, and as urgent as their little game had been. Climaxing, Bankotsu buried his face in Jakotsu's neck, his breathing coming out in deep ragged breaths as the cross-dresser wrapped his arms around him, holding him close.

Jakotsu winced when Bankotsu shifted his weight and pulled out, only to settle more comfortably in his arms. Since neither one felt like getting up and showering, they remained together, Bankotsu with his hand over his lover's heart, feeling it slowing under his fingertips as the moment passed. Jakotsu moved to rest his cheek against the younger man's head. Closing his eyes, he held him like he never wanted to let him go.

_I'm so glad you're mine... dot... dash...period..._


	10. Chapter 10: 10

#10 (kiss 10)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_As of the time of this writing (which was in November of 2007), 10,000 yen was the equivalent of 89.78._

"_Onee-san" means both older sister and Miss in Japanese. Here its meaning is Miss. _

"_Warui warai" according to my friend Jen, who named Youkai's hit single, means "evil laughter" in Japanese. Odd choice of name for a love song... but I thought it sounded cool. _

"_Ju" means then number ten in Japanese._

_The Make-a-wish Foundation is a wonderful charity with chapters all over the world. They grant "wishes" to severely sick and dying children as a way to have some little bit of normalcy in the lives. As long as the wish is doable, they will do their best to grant it._

888

"And here we have the final bachelor in tonight's charity auction, number ten!" the announcer said. "Otherwise known as Kusao Bankotsu, our bachelor, ladies, is the head of Lucky Seven Records whose acts include such headliners as Youkai, Miyuki, and Taisho to name a few!! We'll start with an opening bid of ten thousand yen!"

Jakotsu, who was sitting with Youkai's wives, quickly raised his fan in the air.

"We have ten thousand yen; do I hear ten thousand, one hundred?"

Jakotsu stuck his fan up in the air again.

"Onee-san, you already placed the opening bid."

"Oh..." Jakotsu giggled while his boyfriend discretely rubbed his temple.

Bankotsu had the feeling it was going to be a long night until a woman, sitting in the back, raised her fan.

"We have ten thousand, one hundred!"

Jakotsu stuck his fan up in the air and called out, "Eleven thousand!"

"Twelve thousand!" the other woman said.

Glaring over his shoulder at her, Jakotsu raised his fan in the air and cried, "Thirteen thousand!" He turned towards the back, a smug expression on his face that quickly fell when she out bid him by a hundred yen again. The cross-dresser stuck his fan up, not waiting for the auctioneer to acknowledge him, and said, "Fourteen thousand, one hundred!"

"Fourteen thousand, two hundred!!"

"Fifteen thousand!"

"Sixteen thousand!!"

"Seventeen thousand!!"

The bidding went on and on between the two for ten minutes, each one trying to outbid the other, until Jakotsu cried, as he stuck his fan up in the air, "Ten million yen!!"

All eyes turned to the woman in the back who silently shook her head "no."

"Do I hear any more bids?" The auctioneer called out. "Going once, going twice, going three times!" He brought his hammer down in a loud bang. "Sold to the woman in the red dress for ten million yen!!"

The wives at the table congratulated him and Jakotsu ate it up. He was so happy to have won the date with his favorite bachelor-slash-boyfriend and the idea of sharing the day with him as well as making a seriously ill child's day, made him feel warm and fuzzy inside. He knew Mrs. Rosen, the woman he thought of as his American grandmother, would have been proud of him.

"Oh, and it appears we've set a new record for Make-a-Wish of Japan!" the announcer said happily. "It seems Kusao-san earned the most yen tonight in the history of our charity auctions."

Everyone applauded as Bankotsu was reluctantly stepped forward on the stage.

"That's my honey-dumpling for you!!" Jakotsu said excitedly. He blew a kiss at him.

Bankotsu stood there, trying to motion at him to calm down without attracting too much attention. Luckily for the recorder producer, Rin saw it and spoke quietly to his paramour about behaving with the desired effect. Bankotsu made a mental note to have the ingredients for a chocolate cake with chocolate icing delivered the next day as he was sure she had bribed Jakotsu to behave with one.

A few more announcements and the bachelors were ushered outside the main ballroom in order to meet their "dates" as well as learn as which wish they were going to take part in granting.

"Can I help you, Onee-san?" the girl, who was sitting at a table with the bachelors, asked the cross-dresser.

"Yes, I'm Hibiya-san; I won bachelor number ten, Kusao-san."

"Ah... yes!" She checked the list of names on her clipboard. "I have you down as granting a wish to Yamada Koji-san. He wanted to have a jam session with the band, Youkai."

"Awesome!" Jakotsu giggled. "I like Youkai. They're a good band."

"Ah... yes..." The girl looked up from her clipboard at the cross-dresser, smiling wanly at him. "Excuse me," she said, turning her head to look over her shoulder. "Kusao-san, if you'll come here, please."

Bankotsu sighed and walked over to them so he could meet his "date." The recorder producer motioned discretely for his lover to behave and by the time he reached him, he had a smile on his face that matched the one on Jakotsu's.

"Hibiya-san, this is Kusao-san," the girl said.

"Kusao-san," Jakotsu said sweetly as if this was the first they were meeting.

"Hibiya-san," Bankotsu said, playing along with the little charade. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine," the cross-dresser said saucily.

Bankotsu laughed. "Onee-san, what is the wish we're granting and with whom?"

"Yamada Koji-san. He is a huge fan of Youkai. His wish is to spend a day with the band and possibly jam with them if he's feeling up to it. He had been very sick, battling Leukemia and has recently gone into remission. The boy's still weak, but his doctors say the sooner we can schedule this, the better for him as it will help motivate him during his recovery."

"I understand. How about tomorrow morning at ten?" Bankotsu said.

"I can be there any time you need me to," Jakotsu added.

"Thank you, Kusao-san, Hibiya-san." The girl made some notes on her clipboard. "I'll have someone call the studio tomorrow at nine to confirm this. If it's not okay, can we please reschedule?"

"Of course. Tell Yamada-san and his parents not to worry. Their new album's still in the planning stages."

"Thank you so much, Kusao-san."

"You're welcome."

888

The next morning at ten o'clock sharp, Yamada Koji arrived with his parents at the studio. Introductions were made and soon they were on their way upstairs to the studio and Bankotsu's offices. The ten year old waited with barely controlled excitement as he rode the elevator with his family and Jakotsu.

"I saw you in the video for 'Lucky Kisses.' You're the same girl who was in 'Warui warai' too, right?"

Jakotsu nodded. "Yup. I had a lot of fun making them."

"Yeah?" Koji smiled. "You're so lucky you got to hang out with the band!"

The cross-dresser giggled. "Well, now you're getting your chance, eh?"

"Yeah..." he said wanly.

Jakotsu looked up worriedly at his parents. His father gave the cross-dresser a slight shake of his head. Turning his attention back to Koji, Jakotsu asked, "So, how long have you been playing guitar?"

"Since I was six. My older brother taught me to play. He'd be here too if he didn't have to work," Koji said, sounding very disappointed.

"I know Kusao-san was able to set this up very quickly, so maybe your brother's employer didn't have enough time to make arrangements to cover his shift and that's why he had to work." Jakotsu grinned impishly and said, "Is your brother a fan of Youkai too?"

"Yeah."

"How about I see what I can do, okay?"

"You'd do that, Hibiya-san?" The ten year old brightened.

"Of course I would! It's not often I get to meet such an important guest around here. The chance to do something special for him would be my pleasure." The cross-dresser smiled.

"Awesome! Thank you, Hibiya-san!"

"You're welcome," Jakotsu said just as the elevator pinged and the doors opened. "We're here. If you'll please follow me?" he said as he exited and headed towards Bankotsu's offices.

Ten minutes later, they followed Bankotsu into the recording studio. It was separated into two rooms, one that was padded for the musician to play his instrument or the singer to sing in, and the other, larger room had the mixing board and other equipment needed to record the different tracks. Bankotsu and Koji donned headphones and after a quick explanation of what he was going to do, the record producer gave Sesshomaru, who was waiting in the other room, the okay to start playing his guitar.

The blond guitarist nodded and began strumming his guitar. It took a few tries until everyone was happy with the first track, before he moved onto playing the next. Soon the morning sped by as they recorded not only the tracks needed for Sesshomaru's guitar parts, but also the beginnings of some of the main vocals as well.

Bankotsu gently nudged the ten year old's arm, getting his attention. "Are you ready for lunch? Nishi-san is going to join us."

Koji's eyes were wide as saucers when he heard that. "He is?" he said excitedly.

"Yup." Bankotsu hit a switch and spoke into the mike. "Sessh, that's it for now. Let's break for lunch and afterwards we can lay down the tracks for the harmonies or we can go back and rerecord anything you're not happy with."

"Okay," they heard him say in their headphones.

Koji waited with barely controlled excitement as Sesshomaru left the recording booth and walked over to him.

Sticking out his hand, he said, "Hi, I'm Sessh Nishi. You must be Koji Yamada."

"Yeah..." He motioned the blond closer. Whispering in his ear, he said, "It's Yamada Koji, Nishi-san."

Sesshomaru nodded. "Forgive me, I'm from Seattle and I keep forgetting that..." He winked at the ten year old and they laughed. "So to make things easier, how about you call me, Sessh, and I call you, Koji?"

"Okay, Sessh-san."

888

While they sat having lunch in the studio cafeteria, Koji peppered them with questions about the band and their music. "Ummm, Sessh-san?"

"Yeah?"

"Was it hard kissing Hibiya-san with everyone watching?"

Jakotsu giggled as everyone turned an expectant face towards the blond guitarist. "No... She's actually fun to kiss. Isn't she, Ban?"

"Most definitely. Hibiya-san is my girlfriend, Koji-kun."

"Yeah, we met on the set when they shot the video for 'Warui warai.' We had a nice quiet lunch together." Jakotsu looked over at his lover and smiled.

"Oh..." Koji said, trying hard not snicker at them.

"Koji, unfortunately the rest of guys aren't here but I was wondering if you like to go back to the studio and record a demo of just us two playing your favorite song," Sesshomaru suggested when he noticed Koji seemed a bit tired.

"Yeah!" The ten year old perked up a bit. Even though they had sat quietly during the recording session, it was still tiring for him. Somehow he found the strength he needed to go back upstairs to the studio. Ten minutes later, Sesshomaru and Koji were sitting there, accompanying each other on an acoustic guitar while they sang an old ballad of Youkai's called, "Ju."

888

"What a remarkable ten year old," Bankotsu said as they watched Koji and his family leave.

"Yeah... I hope he's stays in remission for ten years, and then he'll be cured, right?" Jakotsu said when they turned towards the elevators.

"I honestly don't know if it's ten years and you're considered cured or five."

The cross-dresser nodded. "You know, before the album comes out, we should send him a copy and have the band autograph it for him too. I think Koji would really like that. Oh and his brother's a fan and Koji said he was upset he couldn't come. I was wondering if maybe we could send him something too."

"Excellent idea, Sweetness."

"Thanks..." Jakotsu said as he leaned into his boyfriend.

"You're welcome." Bankotsu pushed the button for the elevator. When it opened they entered and rode it up the ten floors to the studio, holding it briefly when they got there to steal a kiss...


	11. Chapter 11: Gardenia

Gardenia (kiss 11)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_FYI: Southern Garden is a real garden center in Tokyo._

888

It was the morning after their first serious-enough-to-consider-breaking-up fight. Even after sleeping on it, Bankotsu still could not figure what he had done wrong. He lay in bed and went over the events of the night before in his head. Nothing stood out except Jakotsu getting upset about not being a woman. The record producer's eyes went wide. _Oh shit! He thinks I'm going leave him for a woman. Of all the people in the universe to run into, I had to run into you, Yumi... _Bankotsu groaned. He got up out of bed and padded towards the kitchen.

Once there, he started a pot of coffee and while he waited for it to finish brewing, he stared at the phone. _Should I call him or what...? _Then he remembered what Suikotsu had told him to do after they had had their first fight. He picked up the phone and dialed the local florist. At first he wasn't sure he had the right place because the way the guy had answered the phone, Bankotsu was sure he had reached the local brothel. Apparently the new owner of the flower shop had renamed it "The House of Kittens" and since Bankotsu knew the name was something that would appeal to Jakotsu; he spent the next twenty minutes, trying to come up with an alternate to hydrangeas as they were out of them. Finally, the ever helpful Hidaka Ken had talked him into getting an arrangement of gardenias instead. According to the language of flowers, they represented feminine grace, subtlety and artistry and aside from the subtlety, it seemed like Jakotsu to him.

"Thank you for your help, Hidaka-san."

"_My pleasure, Kusao-san. So you want these delivered to,"_ he rattled off Jakotsu's address, _"before five o'clock today?"_

"Yes."

"_Will someone be there to accept them?"_

"I'll see to it someone's there. And thank you again."

"_You're welcome..."_

"Bye..."

Bankotsu hung up feeling slightly better about the whole thing. He quickly dialed Jakotsu's friend Suikotsu and had him make sure the cross-dresser would be home to receive them.

888

Jakotsu set the arrangement down on kitchen counter and read the card.

"_Hey Sweetness,_

"_I just wanted to say I'm really sorry about last night. It's all my fault and you had every right to be angry with me. I hope you'll forgive me._

"_Love,_

"_Your dumpling_

"_PS: Sorry I couldn't get you any hydrangeas; they were all out of them."_

The cross-dresser smiled as he looked up from the card at the flowers. _They smell so pretty unlike hydrangeas..._The cross-dresser leaned over and buried his nose in pretty blossoms, inhaling deeply. He pulled back and sneezed. Calling himself silly, he grabbed the kettle, filled it with water and set it boil. After taking out a cup and a packet of cocoa, he opened the packet, pouring it into the cup and adding a spoon. While waiting for the water to boil he called Bankotsu.

"_Hello... Kusao speaking."_

"Hey there... it's me."

"_Sweetness...?" _Jakotsu could hear the smile in Bankotsu's voice, his own face contorting as he tried not to sneeze.

"Yeah... I want to aaah...aaah... aaah-chooo!" The cross-dresser sneezed a few more times in succession.

"_Are you okay?"_

"Yeah..." Jakotsu sniffed. He sneezed again. "I just wanted to thank you for the flowers," he managed to squeak out, before sneezing again. "I don't know why I can't stop sneezing."

"_You're not getting sick are you?"_

"No. I haven't felt better... aaah-chooo!"

"_Are you allergic to something?"_

"I don't think so..." The cross-dresser looked around his kitchen. "Oh hell..." he said softly and sneezed. _I wonder if it's those pretty flowers that are making me sneeze._

"_What?!"_

"Nothing..."

"_You sure?"_

Jakotsu walked away from the flowers and sneezed again. "Yeah... I just knocked over the black pepper," he fibbed.

"_Black pepper?"_

Jakotsu half giggled, half sneezed. "Yeah, it's a spice used in American cooking."

"_Oh..."_

"Yeah... aaah...aaah...aah-chooo!"

"_Are you sure you're not allergic to those flowers?"_

"Well... ummm..." the cross-dresser hedged.

"_Damn it! I screwed up again!" _Bankotsu groaned._ "I'm sorry, Sweetness, I had no idea you were allergic to them. They sounded so pretty over the phone."_

"It's okay, Ban honey, it's not your fault. I didn't know either..." Jakotsu held the phone away and sneezed again. "I'm sorry, I have to go; my nose is starting to run." He hung without waiting for a reply and, grabbing a paper towel, he blew his nose.

Five minutes later the phone rang again.

"Hey there..."

"_Look, I'm on my way over. Just take the damned flowers and throw them out before you get sick or something,"_ Bankotsu said as he left his apartment. _"And don't forget to take some allergy medicine!" _He hung up his cell phone.

"Yes, boss..." Jakotsu said to the dial tone before he also hung up.

888

Bankotsu hurried down the street towards Southern Garden before it closed. He had been miserably lost while trying to find the garden center, and after asking for directions for what felt like the fifty millionth time in the space of an hour, he finally located the store just as they were about to close. Thankfully, they had several containers of hydrangeas or Bankotsu was sure he would have had a breakdown in the store if they were out of them. He also would have bought every last one they had if he could have carried them all home in his arms. Instead, he settled for the largest one he could lift. His wallet some three thousand yen lighter, he hurried towards the train station.

Unfortunately, he arrived at the tail end of rush hour and the ride across Tokyo was a nightmare of frowns and accidental elbow jabs as the businessmen all jostled for a place to stand comfortably on the overcrowded train. Bankotsu was happy the hydrangea bush was hardy and withstood the pushing and shoving better than he did, while secretly wishing Jakotsu liked roses instead. He sure a few well placed thorn pricks would have given him a comfortable place to stand as everyone crowded away from him.

Just when it felt like he was an inch away from exploding, the train pulled into the station and the young record producer was swept out with the other businessmen onto the platform. From there it was a quick trip upstairs and Bankotsu was at street level. Two long blocks later, and he was eagerly rushing up the pathway to Jakotsu's apartment.

888

This time when Jakotsu opened the door, he was greeted by the sight of his boyfriend holding onto a large hydrangea bush that was meant to be planted outdoors. He giggled. "Come in," he said, holding the door open for Bankotsu to enter.

"I'm sorry this is all I could get."

"It's beautiful, Ban honey..." Jakotsu dabbed under his eyes with a tissue as he sniffed, before wiping his nose.

"Please tell me these aren't making you allergic too..." Bankotsu said, sounding as worried as he felt. "Did you take something for it?"

Jakotsu nodded, and taking the plant from Bankotsu, he set it down next to the window in his living room. "No allergies; I'm just so happy I have such a wonderful boyfriend, that I could cry..."

Bankotsu came over to him and gathering him into his arms, he said, "Oh good... I was worried there for a minute..."

The cross-dresser kissed him. "Feeling any better? I know I am." He smiled as he stifled a yawn.

"Yeah... Are you okay?"

"Yeah, allergy stuff always makes me sleepy..." Jakotsu yawned. "Oh, and Inoue-san said to thank you for the flowers."

Bankotsu looked away, somewhat embarrassed.

"Ban honey, she's eighty five years old and was thrilled to pieces that I gave them to her. Don't worry; I saved the card and I told her I got them from work as I often bring home flowers for her. My fans usually send them to me there and if I can share them and brighten her day, why not?"

Bankotsu nodded. "That's so sweet..."

"Isn't that why you can me 'Sweetness?''" Jakotsu said impishly.

Bankotsu chuckled. "Shut up and kiss me."

"With pleasure..." Jakotsu said as he leaned in to comply...


	12. Chapter 12: In a good mood

In a good mood (kiss 12)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_FYI: A horigotatsu is a low covered table placed over the hole in the floor of a traditional style Japanese room. Jakotsu's apartment is traditional, with the only Western style amenity being a full bath so he does not have to visit a bathhouse in order to bathe. _

_A noren is the decorative half curtains that separate rooms in a traditional Japanese home. They are also hung outside restaurants to announce the specialty within._

888

Bankotsu rolled over in the futon onto his back, cracked open his eyes, took a deep breath and smiled. Looking over to his left, he watched the lower two thirds of his lover putter in and out of sight under the noren that were hung in the kitchen doorway while the mouth watering smell of a freshly made omelet assaulted his nose. _I can easily get used to this,_ he thought. The sound of plates scraping together only to be set apart on the counter and the soft ping of the microwave filled his ears, while the slightly fishy scent of last night's salmon teriyaki added to the gentle assault on his senses. He watched as Jakotsu presumably slid the omelet halves onto the plates followed by piece of last night's fish dinner. He could hear Jakotsu singing softly to himself as he danced out of sight to pack two bowls full of rice. With that, breakfast was ready.

When the cross-dresser padded softly towards him, Bankotsu quickly closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. Now that their major fight and the gardenia fiasco were behind him, he was determined to do whatever it took to make Jakotsu happy.

"It's time to wake up, Ban honey!" the cross-dresser said cheerily. "Come, I made us some breakfast. And no, it's not that 'nasty nattou stuff,' as you like to call it, nor did I make you any mushy oat-crap." He chuckled as he knelt down next the futon laid out on his living room floor. When Jakotsu leaned over to see if his lover was awake, he got the surprise of the day, when the shorter man threw his arms around him, pulling him close.

"Good morning, Sweetness..." Bankotsu kissed him.

"Good morning to you too," the cross-dresser said saucily as Bankotsu slid a hand up his kimono to caress his bottom. "My, my, my... aren't we in a good mood this morning, not that I'm complaining."

Bankotsu grinned. "Well... I had some fun last night and a good night's sleep, not mention being woken up by the most beautiful man in the world, so what's not to be in a good mood for? What's for breakfast? You?"

Jakotsu giggled happily. "If I had known you'd settle for that I'd have slept in and not slaved away in the kitchen," he teased. "Seriously, I made an omelet for two, and I reheated that leftover salmon from last night's dinner and some rice. I'd have made us some miso soup, but I'm out of tofu."

"That's okay," the younger man soothed. "Whatever you made is fine and better than I would have made myself." He smiled ruefully at his lover.

"Well, I wouldn't know about that as I've never had the pleasure of spending the night with you at your place." _You're not hiding a wife on me, are you?_ Jakotsu thought anxiously only to quickly banish the thought as nonsense.

"You're kidding... you've been to my place and you've never stayed over?" Bankotsu frowned.

"Yeah... You must really like it here, because we always start out at your place and then somehow we magically wind up here." The cross-dresser giggled.

Bankotsu thought it over. "You're right..." he grinned. "Well, we'll just have to see about fixing that, starting with a toothbrush."

"A toothbrush...?" Jakotsu said as a puzzled frown settled over his face.

Bankotsu laughed. "Yeah, a toothbrush. I think that's the magic lure. You got me one and I wound up staying the night, and I figure if I got you one, the magic'll work the same way..." he trailed off softly as Jakotsu leaned in to kiss him again.

"I see..." Jakotsu murmured. He kissed his lover again. Breaking the kiss with a soft sigh, he looked up and said, "Ban honey, as much as I would love to continue what we started last night, breakfast is getting cold."

The younger man nodded. "Okay."

888

Bankotsu sat at the horigotatsu and shook his head as the cross-dresser pushed the top half of his kimono off and donned his frilly apron again. _Thank goodness he's keeping that kimono on or there'd be not telling what mischief we could get up to..._

The cross-dresser smiled. He could feel his lover watching his every move while he cleaned up the kitchen, not that he minded. If doing something as boring as watching another person work kept his honey in a good mood, then so be it. Jakotsu hummed softly to himself while he worked and he soon had the plates and pans he used neatly stacked and drying in the dish rack. Removing his apron and hanging it up, he felt a pair of strong arms wrap around him from behind.

Bankotsu pulled his lover close, resting his cheek against Jakotsu's bare back. He felt the cross-dresser briefly tense, before relaxing into the embrace, cupping his hands over Bankotsu's. It felt good to simply hold Jakotsu like that and even better when naughty thoughts entered his head. Bankotsu knew if he were several inches taller, he would have removed the cross-dresser's kimono and leaned him over the counter for a bit of fun. He sighed softly.

"Ban honey, is everything okay?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Your good mood seems to be slipping into melancholy."

"Hunh?" Bankotsu pulled away as Jakotsu turned to face him.

"You're sighing, and most people sigh when they're expressing their ennui over something. Then again some people sigh when they're content, but that sounded more like ennui than contentment," Jakotsu said.

"Oh... I'm content, in fact, very content. I've never been happier in a relationship and maybe it's not a magic toothbrush that pulls me here, but you. Your ummm... oh hell, I don't know how to put it in words, but your warmth and your presence is all over this place. Even when you tell me to stay put while you run down to the little grocery store on the corner to get something, a part of you is here. And my apartment feels cold by comparison. Even when you're there I know you're going to go and I guess I just follow you back here... ummm..."

"You do know I'm moving into my new apartment in a few days."

"I know, and I promised I'd help you pack," Bankotsu said softly.

The cross-dresser smiled impishly. "How about we get dressed and go back to your place and get a few things and you stay here and help me give this place a really special good-bye?"

Bankotsu grinned back at him. "Okay!" He put his arms around the cross-dresser again and pulled him close.

Jakotsu, pleased that his lover's good mood had returned, gently kissed the top of his head. He grinned when the shorter man groped his butt as he had the feeling it was going to be a while before they left his apartment. Just as he looked down at his lover, Bankotsu tilted his face upwards. Grinning wickedly at each other they said in unison, "Wanna have some fun?

888

"Sweetness...?"

"Yeah?" Jakotsu said as he reached for his shoes.

"Before your put your shoes on, let's go and get some stuff of yours... you know, so you can ummm..."

"Ban honey, are you asking me to stay over your place?"

Bankotsu nodded. "Yeah..." he said softly, a hint of pink staining his cheeks.

"I'd love to; in fact I think it would be just the thing to help me stop missing this place too much." Jakotsu leaned over and kissed him. "Thanks..." he said softly and without another word he headed back into the living room.

Bankotsu stood there, listening to the cross-dresser rummage through his large free-standing closet. Minutes later he emerged from under the noren, a large red weekender tucked under his arm, the straps digging into his shoulder. "What do you have in that thing? It looks heavy."

Jakotsu giggled. "Oh, it's just a few of my favorite things," he said impishly.

His lover stood there with his mouth open. Several quiet minutes passed before Bankotsu heaved a long suffering sigh. "Sweetness..."

"Yeah?"

"Uh, never mind..."

"Okay." Jakotsu set the bag down and put on his sneakers. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah."

"If you don't mind, I just want to get a few things from the grocery store and bring them over."

"Sure..." Bankotsu said while he wondered if he should call and have his driver pick them up. A few things to Jakotsu could be anything from a simple toothbrush and toothpaste to several heavy bags of groceries.

As they left the apartment and headed towards the little store on the corner, Bankotsu felt his good mood increasing to the point where if Jakotsu decided to buy out the entire store, he'd happily find a way to carry it all back to his apartment. He was surprised when the cross-dresser simply purchased a toothbrush and toothpaste.

"Magic toothbrush," Jakotsu said with a smile.

"Cool..."

888

Bankotsu woke up in a good mood that morning even though he was alone. Jakotsu had only spent three days with him in his apartment before he moved into his new one, but it seemed as if the cross-dresser had been there longer. Bankotsu sat up and looked around his bedroom. There on the chair was Jakotsu's yukata just as he left it the day they went back to his old apartment to pack up his things. The bottom drawer of his dresser contained a few pairs of the cross-dresser's socks and frilly underwear, as well as a couple of sweaters and a pair of pajamas. He smiled, remembering the fun they had had while he made space for Jakotsu's things.

In the living room, Jakotsu had hung the wall scroll he bought during their first weekend together in Osaka. The cross-dresser had even gone so far as to hang a pair of noren in the kitchen doorway. Bankotsu marveled at how these few simple touches had eased his loneliness during the week. Now that it was Friday and the start of the weekend, his good mood had increased so much, it was all he could do to keep himself from spending the day in the train station, waiting for Jakotsu's train to get in.

Getting out of bed, Bankotsu padded towards the bathroom, chuckling softly over Jakotsu's luck or lack of it. Two days after moving into his new place, a job came through which meant a long commute to Kyoto each morning. As he brushed his teeth, he let his thoughts drift back to the day Jakotsu got the job and how he had spent the weekend comforting him, and looking for an apartment in Kyoto.

Now the cross-dresser would be on his way home for two glorious days until he had to take the train back on Sunday. It was something that never failed to leave them both in a good mood until the dreaded departure time.

Bankotsu finished taking care of his bodily needs, before stripping down and, taking a shower. It was while he was soaking in the tub, that the object of his affections snuck in and kissed the top of his head.

"Miss me?"

"Nah..." he teased.

"No...?"

"What do you think?"

"I think you missed me so much you were thinking about coming to get me, so I took an earlier train."

Bankotsu laughed. "You know me too well, Sweetness."

The cross-dresser shrugged it off. "Ummm... why don't you stay put and let me take a quick shower so I can join you," he said as he started undressing.

Watching him, Bankotsu thought, _If I wasn't in a good mood before your arrival, I certainly am now..._


	13. Chapter 13: Excessive Chain

Excessive chain (kiss 13)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_FYI: Comiket is a twice yearly HUGE doujinshi (fan comic) convention held in Tokyo. _

_Shojo manga are comics aimed towards a female audience. _

888

"Jak's very insecure, but you should know that by now, Ban," Suikotsu said.

"I know and that insecurity is like what my aunt calls an excessive chain around one's heart, but I'm not Naraku."

"I know that, and Jak knows that," the pediatrician sighed, "but some wounds are deep and the fact that you've dated women before has him worried. Seriously, you could have met him in junior high, decided you'd rather dated him than some cute little cheerleader and spend the next thirty, forty, fifty years at his side and he'd still worry about you leaving him for a woman."

"So how do I convince him otherwise?"

"The same way you've already been doing it, by ignoring his outbursts because you recognize them for what they are." Suikotsu looked over at the cross-dresser and back. "And whatever you do, don't tell him over and over again that you won't leave. Naraku used to do that and we all know how badly that ended. Now go on and pretend you're jealous before Inuyasha explodes."

Bankotsu laughed as he watched his lover's antics. "You know, that started out as a goof between the brothers and somehow it took on a life of its own."

Suikotsu also laughed. "I know. Jak told me about it the day after they shot the video. The poor thing is never going to live that down as long as he lives."

"Tell me about it. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a guitarist I need to rescue." Bankotsu turned and headed towards his lover, who was mercilessly teasing their friend.

"Don't tell me he's at it again? Don't they ever get tired of annoying him?" Renkotsu asked when he came over to his boyfriend and handed him a plate of food.

"No, and I have the feeling formalizing their relationship isn't going to change a thing where Jak and Sessh are concerned when it comes to Inuyasha. I wouldn't worry about it though; Ban's going to put a stop to it now before things get really out of control."

Everyone roared with laughter when Inuyasha, after telling Bankotsu he wanted to congratulate the "bride-to-be" and wish him well, took the cross-dresser's face in his hands and kissed him. The look on Jakotsu's face as well as Sesshomaru's was priceless and while the "engagement" party over-all was a success, everyone was convinced that one moment was the one that would be remembered and talked about for a long time.

888

The last of the guests had just left to go home. While Bankotsu was busy locking up for the night, Jakotsu started cleaning up the mess.

The younger man walked into the living room. "Leave that, Sweetness. We need to talk."

Jakotsu felt a stab of fear pierce his heart as he looked up at his boyfriend. _Please tell me you're not going to call the whole thing off... _The cross-dresser stood there dumbly as his lover walked over and sat on the sofa.

"Come're," Bankotsu said, patting the seat next to him.

Jakotsu swallowed nervously as he obediently came over and did so. He was unprepared for the arm the younger man placed around his shoulders, pulling him close. Still, he snuggled up next to him, praying that this wasn't going to be the last time he ever did so.

"Sweetness..."

"Yeah...?"

"I've been thinking about us," Bankotsu said. He frowned when he felt the cross-dresser stiffen under his touch. "You okay?"

"Yeah..."

"You sure?"

Jakotsu nodded.

"Anyway, I was thinking about how you're always flirting with anything that moves-"

The cross-dresser pulled away from him and sat up. "I'm sorry, Ban honey! I promise I won't do it again!" _Please don't leave me!!_

"It's okay... I know you don't mean it," he soothed. "Although, I would be lying if I said it didn't hurt, but I understand why you do it."

"You do?" Jakotsu settled back into his lover's embrace.

Bankotsu cupped his lover's cheek with his free hand, tilting his face upwards. "I do... and I want you listen to me, really listen, Sweetness," he said, while gently rubbing his thumb against the cross-dresser's lips. "Naraku hurt you really badly, there's no denying it, but I'm not him. I never will be him. I love you and only you. But your fears are getting in the way of that love and they're making you do stupid things. It's like you have an excessive chain around your heart, squeezing it, and shutting out all the love I have to give you."

Jakotsu's eyes were bright with tears. "I know..." he said softly. "But I'm still afraid."

"Don't be. If I didn't love you, I sure as hell wouldn't be getting married to you, because no matter what we call it or dress it up as, that's' what it is." Bankotsu smiled. "In fact, the only way you're getting rid of me if I were to suddenly die on you."

"Don't talk like that!"

"I only said that because I want you to understand the depth of my feelings for you. I know I'm not much for saying 'I love you' all the time. But I do and well, I try to show you instead of saying it. I don't know... Maybe I need to say so you'll hear it."

"No... I need to listen more carefully to the quiet ways people say it." Jakotsu looked away. "Ban honey..." he began softly. "Even though I know people love me and like me, I just never felt likable or lovable... It's like I'm chasing after something that's been in my back pocket the whole time." He pulled away from Bankotsu and sat up, hugging knees.

"I know...and it's one of the things I love about you," Bankotsu said. He hunched forward, resting his arms on his thighs, his hands dangling between them. "Because your vulnerability makes me want to scoop you up in my arms and... ummm..." Bankotsu trailed off helplessly as Jakotsu tried hard not to giggle. "What's so funny?"

"You. You sound like you've been reading my Harlequins behind my back." The cross-dresser smiled impishly at him.

Grinning, Bankotsu felt as though he heard, not a silly giggle, but the sound of a chain being broken. "So what if I have, you're the one who left a pile of them by the tub."

"Well... I like to read while I soak," Jakotsu said as if that was a perfectly normal thing to do.

Bankotsu, who was momentarily at a loss for words, finally said, "Okay..."

Jakotsu sighed. "It's a pity the newer ones aren't as good."

"Isn't there anything else you can read?"

"Nothing else really appeals to me except shojo manga and 'boys love.'"

Bankotsu laughed.

"Okay, so I like my 'BL' to be sweet and romantic; that's why I make it a point to go to Comiket."

The younger man nodded. "So umm..." he started, trying to steer the conversation back to the original topic. "You going to trust me when I say I'm here forever and will never leave you?"

"Yeah..."

"Promise?"

"I promise..." Jakotsu said, and letting go of his knees, he leaned towards him. He kissed Bankotsu long and hard.

As they kissed, Bankotsu shifted so that he could place a hand on the cross-dresser's heart. Breaking the kiss, he sat back and smiled.

"What was that all about?"

"Nothing," Bankotsu said smugly.

"Nothing? You copped a feel of my tit and it's 'nothing.'" Jakotsu blinked.

"Okay, it wasn't 'nothing.'"

"Then what was it?"

"I just wanted to feel the chain around your heart breaking," Bankotsu said.

"Did you?"

"Yeah..."

"I'm glad you did," Jakotsu said, wrapping his arms around his lover and, pulling him close.

"Me too..."


	14. Chapter 14: Radiocassette player

Radio-cassette player (kiss 14)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_Since it wasn't specified exactly if it was a radio or a cassette player, I chose to go with a cassette player. I get the impression that this was meant to be a songfic too._

_Jakotsu & Sesshomaru are singing "Baby it's cold outside" by Frank Loesser. They also sang a verse of "On a slow boat to China" also by Frank Loesser. _

_The author would like to thank Jen for her suggestions and the Divine Miss M for recording enough standards and ballads to choose from that have the right amount of drama and fun for Jak to sing..._

"_I guess that's why they call it the blues" is by Elton John. _

_Thanks also to my unofficial beta, Jen, for working her magic behind the scenes as I write. _

888

Bankotsu popped the cassette into the player and turned it on. As the tape wound through the player, the sounds of Youkai's latest album-to-be could be heard. Picking up a pad and pen, he wrote down the song title and started making notes. The record producer did this for each track he listened to until he reached the last song on the tape. After a few minutes of laughing and talking, mostly about himself having been stuck in a meeting, a familiar voice started singing.

"_I really can't stay..."_ Jakotsu sang.

"_But, baby, it's cold outside..."_ Sesshomaru chimed in.

"_I got to go 'way..."_ the cross-dresser continued.

"_But, baby, it's cold outside..." _the blond guitarist added.

"_What the hell are you two doing?"_ Inuyasha demanded, although, whoever was sitting there doing the recording said nothing. And it took Bankotsu a few minutes to realize it was Inuyasha.

"_We're singing. What does it look like we're doing?"_ Jakotsu said, and without missing a beat he sang, _"This evening has been..."_

Bankotsu smiled. If he closed his eyes, he could imagine he was there, watching the mayhem ensue.

"_Been hopin' that you'd drop in..."_ the elder Nishi sang while the younger sputtered helplessly.

"_So very nice..."_

"_I'll hold your hands, they're just like ice..."_

"_My mother will start to worry..."_

"_Beautiful, what's your hurry...?"_

The cross-dresser giggled. _"My father will be pacing the floor..."_

"_Get out of there you two!! Ban's going to have our asses for wasting studio time!!"_

"_Chill out, baby bro! Ban is going to love this. Now where was I? Oh yeah... Listen to that fireplace roar..."_

"_So really I'd better scurry..."_

"_Well, maybe half a drink more..."_

"_If you two idiots don't stop right now, I, I, I..." _

Bankotsu heard the sound of something crashing along with laughter. He chuckled, imagining the scene as it must have played out. He figured the noise was Inuyasha throwing his headphones in frustration as the laughter definitely belonged to his lover and Youkai's leader guitarist slash vocalist. As the tape played on the recorder producer heard them launch into "On a slow boat to China."

"_Hmmm, I'm gonna get you on a slow boat to China... All to myself alone... Get you and keep you in my arms evermore... Leave all the others waitin' on a faraway shore..."_ Jakotsu sang.

Sesshomaru sang along with him,_ "Out on the briny... where the moon's big and shiny... Melting your heart of stone... I'm gonna get you on a slow boat to China... All to myself alone..."_

They sang, and in between stanzas, they argued back and forth with Inuyasha about wasting studio time and how they had to get out of there "right now or else." Bankotsu burst out laughing when heard Inuyasha suddenly say, _"Are you gay?"_

"_Silly Inu-chan, of course I'm gay!"_ Jakotsu said.

"_Not you, my idiot brother."_

"_I won't even dignify that question with a reply."_

"_Hey! What's wrong with being gay?"_

"_Nothing..." _Sesshomaru said.

"_Then why didn't you answer my question?" Inuyasha playfully demanded._

"_Yeah!!" _the cross-dresser added.

"_Because I don't have to if I don't want to."_

Inuyasha heaved a dramatic sigh. _"Oh hell... I guess I'd better go break the news to Rin."_

"_You'll do no such thing!"_

"_Yeah? Who's going to stop me?"_

"_Me!"_

As the tape continued to play, Bankotsu thought he heard his lover's soft sigh._ "Uh, guys, this was supposed to be a lil something for Ban to listen to while I go tape that guest spot in Kyoto, not a taped flashback to your childhood... So if you don't mind, I'm ready to sing that song, you know, Ban's favorite one."_

"_Sorry, Jak."_

"_Yeah... Go sit and start playing, Sessh. Let's try to get this in one take, okay?"_

"_I'm ready when you guys are..."_

The tape rolled for a few minutes without sound, before Bankotsu heard Sesshomaru play the opening bars of the song on the piano.

"_Don't wish it away...Don't look at it like it's forever... Between you and me, I could honestly say... That things can only get better..."_

Bankotsu sat there, with his mouth open. It wasn't exactly his favorite song, as he was not much of an Elton John fan, but the lyrics seemed to fit the moment. He wondered how Jakotsu knew that when he went into the studio that morning two weeks ago. The fight they had had the night before he left for Kyoto was one of the rare ones he had started and now it seemed so stupid and pointless when he thought about it. If anything, he would have been the one to walk away from their relationship, not the cross-dresser. He knew damned well that Jakotsu had had enough of that kind of hurt to heap it on anyone else. But he just could not help feeling annoyed about his timing. A week later and Bankotsu could have easily gone with him.

Jakotsu sang on as his lover sat there, silently berating himself for being a fool.

"_And I guess that's why they call it the blues... Time on my hands could be time spent with you... Laughing like children, living like lovers... Rolling like thunder under the covers... And I guess that why they call it the blues..."_

Bankotsu rubbed his forehead tiredly. _I'm such an idiot. _

"_But more than ever I simply love you... More than I love life itself..."_

"_Got it! It sounds really good, Jak. I'll see to it that it gets spliced onto the demo tape."_

"_Thanks, Inu-chan... and please put it all on, the silly fight and the other two songs. I want to Ban to feel happy when he hears this."_

"_Oh, okay..."_

"_Thanks..."_ Jakotsu said. There was the sound of him kissing the mike. _"I wish that was you, Ban honey. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I tried to get them to push it back a week but the producers were adamant about it. Hopefully you're not missing me too badly, because with a bit of luck, I'll be home before you know it." Jakotsu took a deep breath and sang, "But more than ever I simply love you... more than I love life itself..."_


	15. Chapter 15: Perfect Blue

Perfect blue (kiss 15)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_FYI: The Ainu, or as they prefer to be called, Utari are a group of Caucasian looking people who live in Japan. They lived there before the first of what is considered to be "Japanese people" came to islands now known as Japan. They were gradually displaced and during the Meiji era, their language was outlawed and they were restricted to farming on government controlled land. It was the Utari themselves who encouraged the idea of intermarriage between the people to lessen the discrimination between them._

_Special thanks to Jen for all her suggestions to help smooth out the rough edges._

888

Jakotsu sighed dreamily like a lovesick girl.

"What's the matter?" Bankotsu looked up at his life partner.

"Nothing... I was just thinking about your eyes."

"My eyes?" Bankotsu frowned.

Jakotsu gently cupped his cheek. "Yeah... They're the prefect blue." The cross-dresser smiled.

"Really?"

"Yeah... I think they're beautiful."

"Oh..." Bankotsu said softly.

"Ban honey, why do I have the feeling you hate them?"

Bankotsu looked away and sighed. "Because I do and I wish they were brown like everyone else's in my family."_ You have no idea how much everybody teased me about them when I was little._

Jakotsu was at a loss for words, so he simply held his life-partner tighter. When the silence between them became too painful, he broke it. "I'm glad they're blue; they make you special." He caressed Bankotsu's cheek. "I grew up in America and most of the people who had blue eyes had blond hair. A few were redheads, but most were blonds. Until I met you, I had never seen anyone with jet black hair like the finest silk and eyes so blue like the skies around Fuji-sama..." He tilted Bankotsu's face up to look at him, and after a few minutes of shifting around in their bed, he was able to kiss him.

As the cross-dresser deepened the kiss, he trailed his hand down the plane of the younger man's back. He fingers gently caressed the soft skin that was the color of milk tea. Lower and lower his fingers went until he was able to cup Bankotsu's buttocks, pulling him closer.

Bankotsu also let his hand wander as he snaked it under Jakotsu's arm and around his side. His right hand was caught between them, not that he minded, because his left was free to have his way with the cross-dresser.

Breaking the kiss, Jakotsu murmured softly, "Can you see how much I love you and your uniqueness?" He rubbed his growing erection against Bankotsu's.

"Yeah..."

"So why are you so sad about having the most beautiful eyes in the world?" The cross-dresser nuzzled his lover's cheek, his warm breath tickling Bankotsu's ear.

The younger man sighed again. "I grew up here, where everyone pretty much looks the same except for the gaijin who live here and the Ainu and there had been a lot of discrimination against them in the past."_ And me too..._

Jakotsu nodded and shifted so that his life-partner could snuggle up next to him. "But I thought just about everyone has some Ainu blood flowing in there veins, no?" He gently traced the lines of Bankotsu's lips with his finger.

Bankotsu shrugged. "Who knows...?" he said, kissing the cross-dresser's finger as he did so. "All I do know is I somehow wound up with blue eyes and was teased mercilessly for it."

"Well, I think they're beautiful..." Jakotsu kissed him. He gently brushed his fingers against his life-partner's neck, feeling the quickening pulse. "You know, everyone gets teased about something at one point in their lives. Growing up, I was always the geeky little Asian kid who was too smart for his own good. Everyone just assumed I was Chinese and I was called a lot of nasty things by a lot of brainless assholes. I think my only saving grace was I was popular with the girls in our sister school. I had a lot of friends who were girls so I was able to hide my sexuality when I got to high school and everyone began dating. Think about it, being gay in an all boy school at a time when grown men hid in the closet in shame, well, let's just say I had a healthy sense of self preservation. But enough about me..." Jakotsu laughed, trying hard to lighten his lover's mood. He wiggled suggestively against the smaller man and it seemed to do the trick.

Bankotsu smiled. "After a while, I reached the point where I had enough, so I used to beat the shit out anyone who started in with me. Then I discovered music and once people found out I could play, I formed a band in high school. All I can say is thank goodness for my aunt, because she encouraged me to pursue a music career." He grinned, chuckling softly to himself when Jakotsu reached over, tweaking his nipple. It was something so completely different from his usual behavior, that Bankotsu found himself abandoning his funk in favor of wondering what Jakotsu would do to him next.

"And because of that, we got to meet and now we live happily ever after!" Jakotsu hugged him, and rolling over onto his back, he pulled Bankotsu over onto of him. He ran his fingers up and down the cleft of the younger man's bottom, tickling him.

"Yeah..." Bankotsu chuckled softly as he wiggled under his lover's caress. "Thanks for making me feel better."

"You're welcome..." Jakotsu kissed him again. Breaking the kiss and, smiling impishly, the cross-dresser said, "Now that we've bared our souls, are you going to hurry up and make mad passionate love to me?"

"Nah..." the younger man teased.

"No?" The cross-dresser blinked in surprise.

"Nope. I figured I'd just fuck your brains out instead." Bankotsu grinned wickedly at him.

"Ooh... I love it when you talk dirty."

"You love everything about me," the younger man said smugly.

"I know..." Jakotsu kissed him._ And I especially love those perfect blue eyes of yours..._


	16. Chapter 16: Invincible, unrivaled

Invincible; unrivaled (kiss 16)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_Thank you, Jen, for looking this over for me. You're the best!_

888

"I am invincible!" Jakotsu laughed as he danced around their bedroom.

"Tell me about it," Bankotsu quipped tiredly.

"I thought I just did," the cross-dresser deadpanned.

The shorter man heaved a long suffering sigh. "You're also unrivaled when it comes to being a nutter too."

"What about Sessh?" The cross-dresser stood still, quirking his eyebrow at him, his arms folded neatly across his chest.

"I don't think Sessh is this nutty. Besides, I don't feel like talking about Sessh; I'm more interested in why you're busy prancing around in your underwear, telling me how invincible you are." Bankotsu chuckled.

Jakotsu giggled. "No reason... I just felt like saying it." He turned around and wiggled his butt at his lover.

Bankotsu reached over, and grabbing a pillow, he threw it at his life partner.

"Hey!" The cross-dresser whirled around and stood there, his hands on hips, mock-glaring at his life-partner. "I was busy doing the dance of unrivaled invincibility!" His glare quickly melted into a smirky smile.

Bankotsu smiled back at him. "And I loved it, Sweetness, but I have a headache." _And a body ache too..._

"Oh..."

"I'm sorry, Sweetness, I really appreciate you trying to initiate 'let-me-make-you-feel-better-sex' but I think I'm coming down with something."

Jakotsu hurried over to him and sat down on the bed next to Bankotsu. Placing the back of his hand against his life-partner's forehead, he said, "You are a little warmish. Would you like me to make you some warm milk and honey?"

Bankotsu nodded as Jakotsu fussed over him, fluffing the pillows, and tucking him in. The cross-dresser leaned over and kissed his cheek, before getting up and grabbing his kimono, which his shrugged into. "I'll be right back," he said softly as he left the room and padded quietly down the hallway to the kitchen.

Bankotsu closed his eyes and listened to the sounds coming from the kitchen as he dozed off. He hated getting sick because he always felt he had too much work to do and could not afford to waste the time lying in bed. And yet, having someone fussing over him, and taking care of minor details like comfort food, was oddly soothing, like he had permission to get sick.

"Miss me?" the cross-dresser said impishly when he entered their bedroom, startling his life-partner awake.

"Yes." Bankotsu sat up in bed and took the proffered cup when Jakotsu came over and handed it to him. He sipped it at first, and discovering it was not too hot, Bankotsu drank it. The warm milk soothed the beginnings of his sore throat and its warmth, when it filled his stomach, radiated outwards, easing his chill. "Thanks..."

"Don't mention it." Jakotsu took the empty cup and set it down on the bedside table. "Do you want me stay or go?"

"Please stay..." Bankotsu said sleepily.

"Okay." The cross-dresser walked over to his side of the bed. Taking off his kimono, he draped it on the foot of the bed and crawled in, spooning in behind Bankotsu. He did not like how warm the smaller man was, but he was ready in case the sick man woke up later, having brought along some aspirin and a glass of water that he set on the dresser when entered the room. For now, he was content to cuddle Bankotsu and watch over him until he also fell asleep.

Several hours later, Bankotsu woke up, drenched in sweat and shivering. "Sweetness..." he rasped softly. "Sweetness...?"

"Hunh...?" The cross-dresser yawned as he struggled to surface from his dream. "Ban honey...?" he said, repeating it. "Ban honey, everything okay?"

"No... It's cold in here, can you get me another blanket and some more milk with honey for my throat...?"

Jakotsu sat up, glanced at his bedside clock, before leaning over, and laid a hand on his lover's forehead. "You're burning up. I've got some aspirin and a glass of water. I'll go get them for you." He carefully threw back the covers and got up out of bed. Padding over to the dresser, and retrieving the bottle of aspirin and water glass, he walked back over to Bankotsu. "Here..." He handed the glass to his life-partner, after Bankotsu reluctantly sat up. "I'm sorry, Ban honey, but you have to sit up..." Jakotsu frowned as he shook a couple of aspirin out of the bottle and handed them over. "I'll be back in a few with your milk." He took the glass and aspirin with him when he left the room. At five in the morning, Bankotsu wouldn't need any more until later.

888

_If only it wasn't so early, I could call Sui and have him come over, _Jakotsu thought as he bustled around the kitchen, gathering the things he needed to make another cup of warm milk and honey.

Jakotsu set the pot on the stove and waited. When the milk started to foam up around the sides of the pot, he drizzled in some honey and stirred as he turned off the stove. A quick taste to make sure it wasn't too hot, and Jakotsu poured the honeyed milk into a waiting mug. Rubbing his neck tiredly as he put the dirty pot in the sink and turned on the water, filling it so that it could soak until later, Jakotsu turned and walked over to the mug and picked it up. He hurried back to their bedroom, wondering as he traveled down the hallway if he should wake up Bankotsu or not if he was sleeping.

"Sweetness...? Is it ready?"

Bankotsu sounded so pitiful when the cross-dresser entered the room, that Jakotsu would have run the last few steps if he could have seen a bit better in the dark. "Yeah," he said, making his way over to him. "Sit up." He helped Bankotsu drink, and after setting down the mug next to the other one, he said, "I'm calling Sui later as I've never seen you this sick before. Usually I'm the one dying and you're the one with the sniffles."

"I'm sorry..."

"Why? It's about time I returned the favor and took care of you." Jakotsu yawned and headed back over to his side of the bed.

"Thanks..." Bankotsu murmured sleepily.

"Don't mention it..." the cross-dresser said, crawling back into bed.

Several hours later he was back in the kitchen repeating the process, although this time he was on the phone with his friend Suikotsu.

"_So let me get this straight, Jak, you were doing the dance of unrivaled invincibility and Ban said he had a headache."_

"Yeah..."

"_And you were upset at first because he turned you down and said he had headache, but it turned out he also had a fever and a sore throat?"_

"Uh-hunh..."

"_Okay... Any other symptoms?"_

"None except he's been sleeping a lot more than usual."

"_It sounds like the flu; there's a lot of it going around. Just keep doing what you're doing and try to minimize your contact with him. The last thing you need is to get sick with it, especially since you just recently got over having pneumonia."_

"Alright, Sui..."

"_I know it's hard, but try. You can show him your unrivaled invincibility when he's better."_

Jakotsu laughed. "Okay. Thanks, Sui."

"_You're welcome. Oh and, Jak?"_

"Yeah?"

"_If his fever gets worse, call me."_

"Will do. Bye, Sui."

"_Bye."_

888

Five days later, Bankotsu woke up, feeling slightly better than he had in days. He was happy his stuffy nose and achiness was gone along with the sore throat and cough. For the first time since he had gotten sick, Jakotsu's arm around him while they slept did not bother him. In fact, it felt comforting and the cross-dresser's soft raspy snore was like music to his ears.

He snuggled into Jakotsu's embrace and closed his eyes. A vague memory of the cross-dresser prancing around in his underwear came to mind and Bankotsu chuckled softly. Unfortunately, he shook slightly as he laughed, waking the cross-dresser.

"You okay, Ban honey?" Jakotsu said sleepily.

"Yeah... I'm feeling much better today."

"That's good..." The cross-dresser yawned, and picking his arm up, he stretched and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'm sorry I woke you."

"That's okay."

"I really appreciate you looking after me like you did." Bankotsu rolled over to face him.

"It was my pleasure, Ban honey." Jakotsu gently stroked his cheek.

"Uh, Sweetness...?"

"Yeah?"

"I had the strangest dream... I don't know why I remember it so vividly, unless I was feverish at the time and that had something to do it." He laughed softly. "Or maybe it was because you were in it..."

"I was?"

"Yeah... You were ummm... dancing in your underwear."

Jakotsu laughed. "That wasn't a dream, Ban honey." The cross-dresser kissed his life-partner's nose. "That was the dance of unrivaled invincibility."

"The what?"

"The dance of unrivaled invincibility." Jakotsu grinned. "Would you like me to show you?"

"Okay..."

Jakotsu got up out of bed and stretched. A few minutes later, he stripped down to his underwear and walked to the foot of the bed. Bankotsu had sat up and waited.

"It looks better when I'm wearing my lucky panties, but these will have to do."

Bankotsu laughed. "I can't believe you're actually wearing men's underwear. Seriously, I didn't think you owned any."

"I do, I just save them for special occasions," the cross-dresser smirked. "Anyway, let me do the dance for you."

"Go right ahead."

Jakotsu nodded. "I am invincible!" He turned around and started shaking his butt. Bankotsu sat there, hugging himself, as the laughter started erupting from him in little snorts and snickers. Turning around, the cross-dresser smirked. "I am invincible!" he repeated, and whirling around, he bent over and shook his butt at his life-partner again.

Bankotsu screwed his eyes shut as he laughed out loud. "Sweetness... hehehe...please... hahaha... you're...hehehe...killing...hahaha...me..."

Jakotsu stopped dancing and turned around. "That's the dance of unrivaled invincibility," he deadpanned.

"I see..." Bankotsu wheezed.

"You okay?"

"Yeah..."

"Feeling invincible yet?" Jakotsu walked back over to his side of the bed.

"A little..." the younger man smiled as his lover got back into bed.

"Good... I figure if I do that every night for a week, you'll be better in no time."

Bankotsu shook his head. "Missing the nookie, are we?" he smirked.

"A little," Jakotsu said. He put his arm around his life partner and pulled him close. "But as long as I can cuddle you, I don't mind. Besides, you had to endure a longer dry spell than I'll have to and look at how well you survived."

"Yeah, well, I was too worried about losing you to think about that." Bankotsu rested his hand on his life-partner's chest over his heart. He tried counting the beats but failed miserably.

The cross-dresser kissed the top of his lover's head. "Thanks for worrying about me..."

Bankotsu tilted his face up to kiss him.

Jakotsu quickly broke the kiss. "Not now, Ban honey. Let's wait until you're a hundred percent. And I'll know when you are when you do the dance for me."

"Sounds like a plan to me."

"Sounds more like a date to me," the cross-dresser teased.

888

A week later, while Jakotsu was reading in bed, Bankotsu hurried up with his bath. He quickly donned his underwear and tiptoed out of the master bath into their bedroom to stand at the foot of their bed. "I am invincible!" he said and as Jakotsu looked up and giggled, he turned around and wiggled his butt playfully at him...


	17. Chapter 17: kHz

kHz/kilohertz (kiss 17)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_FYI: Babaa means old woman, or old hag in Japanese. _

_Yankii means delinquent youth in Japanese. _

_Jijii means old man, or geezer in Japanese._

_Okama is Japanese slang for drag queen._

_As always, special thanks to Jen for all her help with this!_

888

"What the hell are you listening too? Or is your tape recorder broken?"

Bankotsu reached over and hit the off switch. "It's a demo tape for a new band called kilohertz or kHz... I'm not sure which one it is."

"They sound like shit."

"Actually, they have some talent."

"You're kidding me?"

"I kid you not, Sweetness. And there is a market for hardcore punk."

"That's what it's called? I thought it was noise."

Bankotsu laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"You."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you sound like an old fart."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah... but then you're forgetting," Bankotsu said as he reached out to pull his life-partner close. "I like older women..." he teased, giving the cross-dresser "the look."

Jakotsu, however, was not amused and he said tartly, "Well, if you want, I can go find you one."

"That's not what I meant, Sweetness!"

"It sure sounded like it," the cross-dresser said peevishly.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean it that way. When you're all dressed like that it's ummm..." Bankotsu trail off helplessly.

Jakotsu glared at his life-partner. "You know what; I don't feel like going out any more. I'm going to go take a shower and go to bed. You can go clubbing by yourself tonight. Maybe you'll get lucky and find yourself a real woman!" He turned on his heel and stormed off into their bedroom.

"Sweetness!" Bankotsu got up and hurried after him. _Damn it! I really stepped it big time. Note to self, maybe signing that girl band wasn't such a hot idea after all._

888

Jakotsu got into the elevator followed by four scruffy looking youths. He gave them a cursory glance, before hitting the button for floor number seventeen. "What floor do you want?" he asked.

"Seventeen."

The cross-dresser nodded, and proceeded to ignore them. However, the guys made it difficult by bragging about their latest conquests and Jakotsu found his thoughts straying to his life-partner. His mouth twitched upward in a slight smile. He was here to surprise Bankotsu with a little fun before his meeting with the new band because he felt bad about the fight he had started last night.

"What are you smiling at, Babaa?"

The cross-dresser blinked when the guy repeated his question. "I'm sorry, were you talking to me?"

"Yeah..."

"Oh..."

"So, what are you smiling at?"

"I'm here to meet my boyfriend."

The guys burst out laughing.

"Yeah right! There's no way an old hag like you has a boyfriend here!"

"Oh really?" Jakotsu drawled, quirking an eyebrow at them, while he reined in his anger.

"Yeah! Unless you're balling the building's janitor!" the guy with the bleached out hair said as the rest laughed.

"Oh, he's a little more than the janitor."

"Security guard?"

"Wouldn't you love to know," Jakotsu said smugly while the guys took in the tanuki coat and expensive looking boots he was wearing. When he patted his hair, flashing the one carat diamond engagement ring, Bankotsu had given him to show he was serious about him, their laughter died down.

They rode the next two floors in silence, before the guy with the bright blue hair and tight leather jeans said, "So who you balling, Babaa?"

"Why do you want to know? Are you looking to sleep your way into a contract?"

"Hell no! We're so good record companies come looking for us!"

"Yeah!" his pink-haired twin affirmed.

"Yeah? Then why are you here? I would have imagined Kusao-san would be meeting with you elsewhere, no?"

"You know who Kusao-san is?"

Jakotsu nodded._ If only you knew just how well I know him..._

"I don't believe it. You probably read his name on the board downstairs, same as we did," the bleach blond said.

"You yankii think I care whether or not you believe me?" Jakotsu chuckled.

"Talking tough, eh, Babaa?" the blond sneered. "I bet you're shitting in your grandma bloomers."

The cross-dresser snorted in amusement. "You wish, Yankii."

"You think we should teach her a lesson?"

"After our meeting; we can't be late."

"Ooh... is that a promise or a threat?" Jakotsu asked sweetly.

"Watch your mouth, Babaa!"

Jakotsu rolled his eyes at them, before looking over at the floor display. _Oh hell! I'm stuck with these assholes for another three floors. _He sighed softly.

Thankfully the last three floors went by quickly. When at last the doors opened, Jakotsu was pleasantly surprised to see the Nishi brothers waiting for the elevator. "Hey, guys," he said as he exited.

Sesshomaru, true to form, kissed the cross-dresser's cheek. "Jaki, what are you doing here?"

"I came to surprise Ban before his meeting."

"What are you looking at?" the bleach blond said as he exited the elevator along with the rest of his band.

"Nothing much," Inuyasha said quietly.

"What was that?" The bleach blond scowled at Inuyasha. "Well, anyway make sure you remember who you're looking at, Jijii."

"Why should I?" The younger Nishi quirked his eyebrow at him, and folding his arms across his chest, he stared the younger man down.

"You're looking at Lucky Seven Record's newest recording stars."

"You don't say..." Inuyasha said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Yeah! kHz is going to be bigger than that craptastic Youkai they promote to death."

"You hear that, Sessh? They're going to be bigger than Youkai!"

"I heard," Sesshomaru replied, not really paying attention to what they were saying. Leaning over to whisper in Jakotsu's ear, he said, "You rode the whole way up here with these assholes?"

The cross-dresser nodded.

"You poor thing."

"Tell me about it. At least they didn't recognize me or I'd have to listen to them mouth off about me being an okama."

"If Ban signs them, they're going to give Nagashima-san ulcers on top of ulcers."

"I know... I almost feel sorry for Jaken-san, but then again he gets paid a lot for what he does. Although, I think I am going to suggest a raise if Ban does sign them. There's no way you can put a nice spin on any of the shit that comes out of their mouths."

Sesshomaru nodded. "Anyway, I've gotta go. I'm taking Rin to the doctor in about an hour so I can hear the baby's heartbeat."

"Cool! Give her a big kiss from me, okay?"

"Will do." He turned and headed over to his brother. "Is there a problem, baby bro?" Sesshomaru asked, staring at the younger bandmates.

"No, just some lil darlings mouthing off about how they're better than Youkai," Inuyasha said sweetly.

Sesshomaru silently mouthed, "Better than Youkai," a few times as his expression grew darker and darker. Suddenly finding his voice, he said, "What do you assholes mean, 'better than Youkai'?" His expression grew even darker.

"What's not to understand, Jijii? Those geezers suck dog dick with their crappy lil pop tunes that my granny wouldn't be caught dead listening to!"

"Is that so?" Sesshomaru said, his face going void of all expression. The temperature in the hallway seemed to suddenly drop as the elder Nishi fixed kHz with a stony glare.

"Let's go, Sessh," Inuyasha said. He tried pushing his brother towards the elevator.

"I have some trash to take care of first." The elder Nishi cracked his knuckles.

"Ooh... I'm scared!" the bleach blond said and his bandmates laughed.

"Good, you should be..." Sesshomaru said softly. Taking advantage of kHz's inattention, he balled his fist and punched the bleach blond in jaw. Turning to his brother just as the elevator door pinged open, he said, "Now I'm ready to leave." Without so much as a backwards glance, he calmly walked into the elevator. "You coming, Inuyasha?"

_Oh hell, they're going to die now! _Jakotsu briefly watched the scene play out, before slipping away towards his life-partner's office.

888

"What are you doing here?" Bankotsu said, getting up from his desk, and coming over to greet his life-partner.

"I wanted to apologize for last night. I know you didn't mean it..." Jakotsu said softly.

"Yeah, well I shouldn't have said it." The younger man gathered the cross-dresser in his arms.

"It's okay... I had a headache and I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

Bankotsu nodded. "Ummm... as much as I love having you here, I'm sorry, Sweetness; I have a meeting scheduled to begin in a few minutes."

"Oh, that's okay. They got held up by the elevator," Jakotsu said smugly. "So we have plenty of time for a quickie." He kissed the shorter man.

Bankotsu laughed. "You're kidding right?"

"Nope... Your new band just told Sessh Youkai sucks, and I quote, 'dog dick.'"

"Oh shit!" Bankotsu turned and fled his office, worry about blood staining the hallway clearly seen on his face.

The cross-dresser hurried after him.

888

Bankotsu found the band crowding around their leader, who was sitting on the floor, fingering his jaw.

"Are you alright?" the owner of Lucky Seven Records asked, holding out a hand to help the bleach blond up.

"Yeah... Some crazy geezer assaulted me when we got out of the elevator. The bitch saw the whole thing, didn't you?"

"The bitch?" Bankotsu frowned as he looked over at the cross-dresser.

"I had the pleasure of riding in the elevator with them, Ban honey," Jakotsu said sweetly.

"Ban honey?" the blond repeated stupidly.

"Yeah, I told you guys I was here to meet my boyfriend but you were too busy shooting your mouths off to listen." The cross-dresser beamed at them.

"Hey look, lady, we're sorry," the pink haired guy said. "Right, Taiki?"

"What's to be sorry for, Daisuke? We didn't do anything wrong."

Bankotsu looked skeptical as he said politely, "Nishi-san wouldn't hurt anyone unless they were accosting a woman or insulting his band. You weren't bothering my, uh..." He briefly looked over at Jakotsu and back at the blond. "Girlfriend on the elevator, were you?"

"No! But I bet the uh, she lied to him. They seemed pretty friendly with each other. Very touchy-feely."

"Shut up, Taiki!" the blue haired twin said.

"Shut up yourself, Hiro!" The blond glared at his bandmates. "We have a meeting to get to. And thanks for giving me the geezer's name so I can press charges." He grinned.

"The meeting's over."

"Hunh?"

"My boyfriend's Kusao-san; that's how I know him by the way," Jakotsu said sweetly.

The blond's face fell as he eyes went wide in shock. "I'm sorry, Kusao-san," he started to say when Bankotsu held up a hand.

Just then, the elevator doors opened and two security guards stepped out. "Everything okay, Kusao-san?" the taller of the two asked.

"Nishi-san said there were some kids creating a ruckus up here," his partner added.

"Everything's under control. I just need you to escort these kids outside for me."

"Anything you say, Kusao-san."

The two security guards ushered the sputtering Taiki and his bandmates towards the elevators while Bankotsu, cell phone in hand, and the cross-dresser watched. The door pinged open and they were taken none too gently inside. To add insult to injury, the last thing kHz heard before the doors pinged shut, was Jakotsu saying, "Ban honey, I told you last night they sucked."


	18. Chapter 18: Say aah or an

Say "ahh..." or "an?" (kiss 18)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_FYI: Please note that the following was given as an explanation for this theme: "an" is also something really smug guys say, like, "I look really hot tonight, an?"... having the question mark in there makes it difficult to know which one is meant, so either interpretation is ok.__** In order to make it easier to type and read, I'm changing "an" into "ahn."**_

_Once again, mega-thanks go out to Jen for all her suggestions!_

888

"I look really hot tonight, ahn?" Jakotsu purred. He took a few steps like he was on a catwalk towards Bankotsu, before spinning neatly on his heel, and sauntering away.

Bankotsu shook his head. "You always look hot to me."

"I do?" the cross-dresser said softly. He came over and sat on his life-partner's lap.

The younger man nodded. They snaked their arms around each other and kissed. Breaking the kiss, Bankotsu said, "Sweetness, if you keep this up we're going to be late."

"Sui won't mind, I'll just tell him we were having a bit of fun and lost track of the time."

"Yeah, but Ren will. He's very punctual."

Jakotsu rolled his eyes. "You mean anal."

"No, I mean punctual. Ren likes to be on time for things."

"Yeah, well, I like to be fashionably late." The cross-dresser giggled.

Bankotsu grinned. "Okay, you win. We'll have a quickie."

"Yay!" Jakotsu said happily. Getting up, he started pulling his sweater up over his head.

888

"Are you sure you told them tonight at seven?" Renkotsu said as Suikotsu waved the waiter away.

"Yeah, I made sure to tell Ban instead of Jak. You don't think they had an accident?" The pediatrician frowned.

"No, because we picked this place as it was easy to get to by train," Renkotsu said calmly. "Oh good, there they are." He waved discretely.

Bankotsu spotted them first and minutes later they were seated at the table. "Sorry we're late."

"That's okay," Suikotsu said.

"It's all my fault, Sui. Ban thought I looked really hot tonight and well, uh..." Jakotsu trailed off smugly.

"Sweetness," Bankotsu said tiredly. "I don't think they're interested."

"Oh..."

"That's a pretty sweater, Jak. You look good in pink," the pediatrician said, neatly changing the subject. He held up a hand, signaling the waiter to come over to their table.

The cross-dresser immediately brightened. "I look really hot tonight, ahn?" he purred at his friend.

"Very..." Suikotsu said, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Now be a good little girl and tell the waiter what you want."

Jakotsu giggled. "I'll have the tuna sashimi, please, and some green tea."

The waiter smiled appreciatively at him while he wrote Jakotsu's order down. The rest of the men were practically ignored when they placed their order.

888

After dinner, Jakotsu had talked his friends into going to a club. They hung around the bar, watching the people crowding the dance floor, as techno pop throbbed loudly in the background. Out on the dance floor it was blaring at bone jarring decibels for the writhing mass of humanity that danced to its beat. The cross-dresser sat on one of the bar stools, wiggling in place.

"Why don't you go out on the dance floor, Jak? I think you would have more fun out there," Renkotsu suggested.

"Yeah..." the cross-dresser said airily, dismissing the idea with a wave of his hand.

"Yeah, but then the bartenders can't watch him." Bankotsu chuckled.

"Hey, I can't help if they think I'm really hot." He placed his upturned arm on the bar, leaning on his hand, and smiling sweetly at the bartender. "I look really hot tonight, ahn?"

"Very..." He grinned at the cross-dresser and handed him another bottle of beer. _I especially love the way you drink your overpriced Kirin..._

Jakotsu giggled and Bankotsu, looking over at him, heaved a long suffering sigh.

"That's it. Let's go!" Suikotsu said, grabbing his friend by the arm. "Your husband's getting annoyed."

"Hunh?" Jakotsu looked up at his friend as he slid off his bar stool to land somewhat unsteadily on his feet. He giggled.

"Seriously, Jak, if you're not careful one of these days you're going to wake up and Ban will be gone." Suikotsu dragged him away from the bar so that he could speak to him in private, but not before Jakotsu grabbed his Kirin.

"Oh..."

"Yeah. We all know you're beautiful, both inside and out, and we're your friends and lover and our opinions should be the ones that count, not some total stranger's."

Jakotsu smiled. "I know, but I have to look good; it's part of my job. I don't need strangers stroking my ego but when you're an actor, people love you and want to show you all the time and the better you are the more they show you..." the cross-dresser rambled on.

"Yes, I know as an actor it's important for you to be loved by the general public, but don't forget about those of us who really love you."

The cross-dresser nodded. "I hurt Ban's feelings, hunh?"

Suikotsu opened his mouth to say something, and closed it with a sigh. "He didn't say, but I know if I was him, I'd be hurt."

Jakotsu looked away embarrassed. "You're right..." He glanced up at his friend and smiled. "Thanks, Sui."

"You're welcome."

They walked back to the others. The cross-dresser threw his arms around his life-partner, hitting him in the back with his Kirin, and kissed him. "I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"For going overboard and shooting my mouth off about looking so hot tonight at your expense," Jakotsu said as he leaned his forehead on the younger man's.

"Hey, I'm with the most beautiful person in the place, it's to be expected that people would notice you and make a fuss over you. You enjoy things like that; I don't, so I don't worry about it. I know it's me you're waking up to every morning, so what's the big deal," Bankotsu said, pushing his life-partner off him.

"Yeah...?" the cross-dresser's eyes were wet with unshed tears. Jakotsu took a few unsteady steps backwards.

"Are you okay, Sweetness?"

"Uh-hunh..."

"You sure?"

"Yeah..." Jakotsu turned his head carefully to the side as everything was starting to spin in a strange way. "Ren?"

"What?"

"Can you please get me another Kirin?" The cross-dresser flashed him his sunniest smile.

"Jak, you didn't finish the one you have," Renkotsu pointed out.

The cross-dresser looked at the beer in his hand. "Oh yeah..." He giggled and handed it to his friend. He drunkenly sauntered away from the bar towards the dance floor, pulling Bankotsu along with him. Turning around to face his lover, the cross-dresser put his arms around the shorter man's neck. As they danced together, Jakotsu started moving his hips in time with the beat, moving closer and closer to rub suggestively against Bankotsu.

Renkotsu shook his head, and leaning towards his boyfriend, he said, "I think he's wasted or extremely horny." He chuckled.

"Oh hell..." Suikotsu counted discretely on his fingers. "But he only had five beers so far and I've seen he drink more than that. Besides, I have a feeling they were late because somebody decided he wanted a lil loving before dinner."

"You're kidding?" Renkotsu asked and Suikotsu nodded. "I guess that explains the huge smile on his face when they finally showed up." The custom bike designer grinned. "Only five, hunh? I know he had two more while you were in bathroom, so that's seven."

"He's reaching his limit."

"His limit?"

"Yeah, we roomed together in college and I remember a few parties where I had to carry him home."

"Oh crap."

"I bet something set him off tonight. I don't think it was a fight, or I would have had a phone call and he would have been all teary-eyed instead of glowing..." Suikotsu trailed off, rubbing his chin, as he thought it over.

"Maybe he's just feeling needy tonight. He seems like he's high maintenance at times. I mean I don't know him as well as you two do, but from what I've seen, I'm surprised Ban hasn't tossed him out on his ass by now. And speaking of ass..."

They looked over in time to see the cross-dresser take a few wobbly steps only to trip over his own two feet and land on his butt.

"Hehehehe..." He giggled as Bankotsu helped him up. With his arm around his life-partner's neck, he easily pulled him close enough to kiss.

"Let's go help him before someone recognizes them," Suikotsu said tiredly.

"Okay."

888

"Ban honey..."

"What?"

"I don't feel so good... I think that sashimi was bad," Jakotsu said. He closed his eyes and made a face.

_Oh hell... _"I'm sorry..." Bankotsu said softly to their friends.

"It's okay, Ban," Suikotsu said. "So what's the matter, Jak?"

"I feel nauseous..." He looked over at his friend.

"Men's room!" the others chorused.

888

"Hey! You can't bring her in here!"

"She's not a 'her'; she's a he," Renkotsu said matter-of-factly. "And if you don't want to be cleaning up the floor in few minutes, you'll let us in."

Jakotsu looked up at the men's room attendant and moaned piteously.

"Get in and get out. And if I find any funny business going-" he cut his tirade off when Jakotsu made a loud retching noise.

"There she blows..." Renkotsu quipped as the other two hurried the cross-dresser into a stall. He took his time walking over to the stall, and once there, he stood outside of it, his arms neatly folded across chest, like he was standing guard.

Inside the stall, Jakotsu stood over the floor toilet, heaving his guts up and, crying incoherently about being an old hag.

"I'm going to go get him some water," Suikotsu said. "I'll be right back." He stepped out of the stall.

"Is he going to be okay?"

"Yeah. He'll be fine tomorrow when he wakes up, Ren, although, he's going to be so hungover he's going to wish he was dead."

"No kidding." He grinned. "I'm sorry, I can't help it. I've never seen him like this before and he's funny."

"I know..." The pediatrician left the bathroom.

"Ren, can you get me a wet paper towel?" Bankotsu called out as the cross-dresser retched again.

"Sure," Renkotsu said. He walked over to the sink and wet a few paper towels. Coming back, he opened the stall door and handed them over. "Is he okay?"

"Yeah... and thanks." Bankotsu took the wad of wet paper towels and handed them to Jakotsu, who wordlessly wiped his face with them. "I'm sorry we ruined your evening." The recorder producer sighed wearily as he exited the stall.

"Don't worry about it, Ban."_ It's certainly been entertaining..._

"You sure?"

Renkotsu nodded just as Jakotsu emerged. "You okay, Jak?"

The cross-dresser said softly, "Uh-hunh..."

"Come, Sweetness, we're going home."

"Why? Don't I look hot tonight?" Jakotsu asked and Renkotsu had to bite his lip to keep from laughing. The cross-dresser's hair which had been elegantly arranged on top of his head, now hung in loose tendrils about his face which would have been sexy if it was wasn't wet with sweat and dotted with flecks of vomit. His artfully applied make-up was smudged all over his face and his mascara made two dark splotches under his eyes, giving him the appearance of a demented tanuki. Renkotsu gave the younger man an amused look, wondering how he was going to handle it without upsetting the cross-dresser.

Bankotsu smiled as if Jakotsu looked as neatly dressed as he did at the start of their evening. "Very hot, and I'm tired of everyone making eyes at you."

"Yeah...?" Jakotsu smiled at his life-partner and giggled when Bankotsu took him by the arm, quickly propelling him out of the men's room before he could catch a glimpse of his appearance in the mirror.

"Yup. Now let's go."

"Okay."

They met Suikotsu outside the men's room. "Here, have some water, Jak."

"I don't know... my stomach hurts."

"I know, but you were sick in there and I don't want you getting dehydrated."

When the cross-dresser looked at him uncertainly, Bankotsu added, "You'll feel a bit better, Sweetness if you listen to Sui. I'll even get you more water at the station."

Jakotsu took the glass and had a few sips. "Okay?"

"Have a little more and then we can leave," Suikotsu said.

"I'd rather have another Kirin..." the cross-dresser whined petulantly.

"That'll make you sick."

"Oh..." Jakotsu pouted.

"Jak, just drink the damn water already," Renkotsu said quietly.

The cross-dresser blinked at him owlishly, but complied. Leaving the glass on a nearby table, they left the club.

888

Jakotsu leaned on Renkotsu unsteadily as Bankotsu fumbled with the key in the lock. He was crying softly about how sorry he was that he had made a mess of things tonight while Suikotsu quietly reassured him he did nothing of the sort.

Minutes later they stood in the apartment's genkan, taking their shoes off, while Jakotsu sat on the floor and laughed himself silly when his boot got stuck on his foot.

"Ban honey...?" He held up his foot, the boot dangling from it at an odd angle.

"Give me that," Bankotsu said, reaching down and grabbing the boot. He tugged a few times before it came off. The other one soon followed and Jakotsu was pulled to his feet only to be dragged down the hall to their bedroom. He giggled and cried as his vanity and insecurity warred with each other until Renkotsu, tired of listening to his tirade, told him he was the sexiest old broad he had ever seen.

"You really think I'm that hot looking?" the bedraggled cross-dresser asked.

"Jak, you're so hot, I'm buying Ban a fire extinguisher to keep under your bed just in case you self combust from hotness," he said dryly.

"Yeah...?"

"Yup."

"You hear that, Ban honey? I am hot!" Jakotsu said happily as he sat down on the bed.

"You're telling me something I don't already know?" Bankotsu kissed his cheek, before removing Jakotsu's sweater and carefully set it on the floor. His lacy black bra and falsies soon joined it.

"Here." Suikotsu handed the cross-dresser a t-shirt. He chuckled at Jakotsu's futile attempt to put it on, before Bankotsu helped him. His skirt, garter belt, and stockings soon followed before Bankotsu tucked him in bed.

"Night!!" Jakotsu said cheerily. Two minutes later he retched. Moaning softly, he said piteously, "I don't feel good..."

"At least you look hot even if you don't feel good," Renkotsu quipped as Bankotsu and Suikotsu groaned.

"Yeah..." the cross-dresser said. He hurriedly got up and stumbled past them into the master bath.

Bankotsu followed the cross-dresser to make sure he was alright. After a few minutes he emerged from the bathroom.

"Is he okay?" Suikotsu asked.

"Yeah. He wants me to make him some weak tea. Come, I'll make some for all of us while he sleeps it off." Bankotsu and the others headed towards the kitchen. On the way there, he started to quietly explain the cross-dresser's behavior.

"I'm really sorry again about this evening. I should have listened to my guts feeling and canceled, but he really enjoys your company," Bankotsu apologized.

"Don't worry about it, Ban," the pediatrician said. "I've seen him in this condition before, so it's nothing new. Just don't let him have any aspirin tomorrow for his hangover, give him Tylenol instead. The last thing he needs is his ulcer acting up."

"Okay..." Bankotsu said quietly when they reached the kitchen.

He filled the kettle with water, and set it to boil on the stove while he got a couple of mugs out of the cabinet, the teapot, and the box of loose tea. Opening a drawer, he took out a spoon to measure it as well as a tea strainer. He left everything on the counter, and turning to face is friends, he said, "What I started to say before is this; I know it doesn't excuse his behavior, but a couple of young assholes called him an old hag yesterday on the way up to my office. And then Yumi-chan got a hold of my home phone number and left several messages on the answering machine." Bankotsu groaned softly and rubbed his forehead tiredly. "That bitch is the bane of my existence. I don't know how many times I have to tell her I'm not interested in her before it sinks in."

"Maybe she's just trying to sleep her way in good with the boss-man and it wouldn't matter who you were living with," Renkotsu said as a possible explanation for the girl singer. "She looks good, but her music isn't that great."

"I know... But I'm getting tired of explaining myself to the two of them all the time. I think if she keeps it up, I'm going to simply terminate her contract." Bankotsu turned off the stove when the kettle had started whistling. He poured the hot water into the teapot, added the loose tea and stirred. Setting the spoon down, he picked up the strainer and poured some tea into a mug for Jakotsu, before setting the teapot back down on the counter. "And I think losing out on that job he wanted to a younger woman didn't help."

"What job?" Suikotsu asked.

"It's a series of commercials for some make-up. He's got the print add for it, but they decided to go with a younger woman for the TV adds. I don't know what the big deal is, especially since his character Emiko has been generating a lot of publicity for him since she found out she was pregnant."

Renkotsu laughed. "I saw that interview he did when they announced it and how excited he was to have such a unique acting challenge. You'd swear he was thinking of having a baby himself."

"Oh yeah..." Bankotsu chuckled.

"You don't know the half of it, Ban. Jak spent my day off, pouring over my old medical books, and asking me questions about what it's like to be pregnant. I finally told him to go lunch with the girls and ask them as they'd have first hand knowledge. He must have too, because he been dead on in his performance."

"Exactly! So why he's so damned upset over losing that stupid job is beyond me. He's reached the point where they work around his schedule, so he's home a lot more than he used to be," Bankotsu said tiredly.

"Because some people don't like the idea of getting old," Renkotsu said.

"Not only that, but Jak is in a profession where looks are everything and youth is celebrated until you reach a certain age, where you are suddenly celebrated for having such a long and distinguished career. Thankfully, he still has a few years to go before he reaches that point. And he's also very insecure to begin with which doesn't help," Suikotsu said.

Bankotsu nodded. "Tell me about it."

"He just did, Ban," Renkotsu quipped, prompting the younger man to laugh.

"That he did..." Bankotsu trailed off softly as they lapsed into companionable silence.

888

Once they had left, Bankotsu cleaned up the kitchen and brought Jakotsu his tea. It cooled to a lukewarm temperature, which was perfect for the cross-dresser's jumpy tummy. He carried it to their bedroom, and he was not in the least bit surprised to find the cross-dresser asleep. So he set the cup down on Jakotsu's bedside table, and walked into the bathroom. Bankotsu looked through the rolled towels on the shelf next to the shower and finding a face cloth, he brought over to the sink. After running the water to make it hot, he wet the cloth and wrung it out. Turning off the tap, he brought it over to the sleeping cross-dresser. Sitting on the bed next to him, Bankotsu gently wiped away the ruined make-up and little flecks of vomit from his hair. _At least he won't scare himself when he wakes up tomorrow..._

Jakotsu's eyes fluttered open. "I look really hot tonight, ahn...?" he said sleepily.

"Very hot, Sweetness. So hot I want to crawl into bed with you."

"Yeah...?"

"Yeah..." Bankotsu kissed his cheek. And getting up, he took the dirty clothe to the master bath, emerging minutes later, dressed in his pajama bottoms, and carrying the bathroom's empty garbage can which he left by Jakotsu, incase he needed it during the night. He crawled into bed, spooning in behind Jakotsu only to get up to grab a few towels which he set underneath the garbage can. Sighing softly, he crawled back into bed to spoon in behind Jakotsu.

888

_Author's note: If you have gotten this far in the series, and haven't taken a minute to let me know what you think, please do! Feedback of any kind is really helpful as it lets me know if I'm doing my job as an author. _

_I also have plenty of pocky for you... ;p_


	19. Chapter 19: Red

Red (kiss 19)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_Special thanks to Jen for her help with this! (Jak said to thank you too!) _

888

Jakotsu sat in the warm glow of the lights surrounding his vanity and looked through his make-up case. He took out several items, before locating the lipstick he was looking for. It was Bankotsu's favorite and it was red, very red in a cheap, vampish sort of way. There was something about the deep scarlet against his pale skin that drove the younger man wild and Jakotsu was very happy to drive him there.

As the cross-dresser sat, staring at his reflection in the mirror while he brushed his hair, he wondered if his lucky panties had the same effect. He owned several pairs of the silky bikinis and they were just as scarlet and bright as his lipstick. Nine times out of ten whenever Bankotsu noticed he had them on, when they were getting dressed to go out, the younger man suddenly wanted to stay in, order some take-out delivered and have a bit of fun for dessert.

Jakotsu realized with a start that every single piece of lingerie Bankotsu had ever given him was red. And whenever they needed to dress up formally for an event, Bankotsu always asked him to wear one of three outfits. The crimson Chinese dress, the vermillion strapless chiffon that hugged his make-believe curves, or the long-sleeved burgundy velvet sheathe with the thigh high slit up the left side.

"You lil stinker, you..." Jakotsu said softly. "I had no idea you liked red so much..." He smirked at his reflection. "Especially since you don't even own so much as a red silk tie..." The cross-dresser, noticing the reflection of their turned-down bed in the mirror, giggled. _Even our sheets are red..._

Jakotsu set his hair brush down and stared at the way his crimson kimono contrasted brightly against his dark brown hair and pale skin. Puckering up his lips in a sexy pout, he lifted his hair as if piling it up on the top of his head only to let it fall back around his shoulders. The cross-dresser shifted slightly in the vanity's seat, and looking over his shoulder, he gazed longingly at the master bath. _It's been four days since we had time to be together and the weekends are always so short. Just how long are you planning on soaking tonight, Ban honey?_

Turning back around, Jakotsu decided to idle the time away by piling his hair up on top of his head in a loose topknot. He gathered his hair in his hands, guiding it upwards, until he had it where he wanted it. Taking it in his right hand, Jakotsu twirled his hair into a coil with his left. He wrapped the coil around itself, holding it ever so slightly with his right hand, and tucking the end of his hair up into the bun. Picking up a hair chopstick, the cross-dresser skewered the bun, repeating his actions with the other one. He laughed softly to himself. The chopsticks that stuck out of his hairdo where a deep rich red lacquer with white sakura blossoms painted along the top half; they were another gift from Bankotsu.

Sighing softly, Jakotsu pushed the vanity seat back and stood up. As much as he wanted to peek into the bathroom and watch his life-partner soaking the cares of the day away, he restrained himself. Instead, he sauntered over to their bed, and sat down. He leaned back and sprawled across the bed, trying to find a sexy pose that would be guaranteed to make his life-partner want to pounce.

Bankotsu emerged from the bathroom seconds later, dressed in only a towel. He started to mumble something about forgetting his clean clothes when he caught sight of the cross-dresser. Jakotsu was lying on his side, using his right arm to prop himself up while the left rested against his hip, pointing out the pale skin of his thigh. He had somehow managed to artfully arrange the vibrant red kimono so that the right front half and obi fig-leafed him. The tantalizing bit of skin peeking out from under his left hand suggested the cross-dresser was completely naked underneath.

Jakotsu smiled, his red lips parting to expose his teeth in a smile that was as seductive as it was innocent.

Bankotsu could feel a certain part of his anatomy twitching as a faint rosy hue dusted his cheeks. It was the smile that the cross-dresser was famous for and yet, when he directed it towards Bankotsu, the younger man could see there was something else there, something that was meant for him alone. He groaned softly as Jakotsu stuck out his tongue to lick his upper lip, its pinkness complimenting the deep scarlet of his lips, before it disappeared behind his teeth as he bit his lip. _You're killing me, Sweetness... but it's a death I don't mind dying. _

"Are you coming to bed now?" Jakotsu asked innocently, his voice taking on a faint husky edge.

"I uh..." Bankotsu swallowed when the cross-dresser shifted to a more comfortable position, flashing a bit of his "charms" in the process. "I ummm... I need to dry off and get dressed first."

"Oh..." Jakotsu smiled again. "Can I help?"

"Ummm..."

"Please?"

"I ummm..." Bankotsu's cheeks turned a deeper crimson.

"What?" The cross-dresser blinked in confusion. His brow knitted in concern, he asked, "You're not hurt are you?"

"Oh no no no!" The younger man coughed when the tub gave a loud squelching gurgle as it emptied itself fully.

"You didn't?" Jakotsu's hand came up to cover his crimson lips. His tiny giggle echoed Bankotsu's earlier cough.

"I ummm... Well, I ummm..." Bankotsu flushed an even deeper crimson.

"You really did miss me!" the cross-dresser said happily. "But couldn't you have ummm..." He giggled. "Waited to ummm..." He giggled again. "Get out of the bath. Unless you prefer the fantasy me to real thing?" he snickered and fell over backwards on the bed and laughed.

"It's not funny!"

"It is too! Here I am making myself look positively yummilicious for you, and you're sitting in the tub, wasting time going solo." Jakotsu laughed.

Bankotsu sputtered wordlessly.

"It's okay, I forgive you," Jakotsu said sweetly.

"You do?" Bankotsu frowned. He knew there was a catch and it was only a matter of time before he wound up paying for his daydreams.

"Yes... because the minute you're ready, you're going to make mad passionate love to me until I beg you to stop." The cross-dresser sat up and crawled over to the edge of the bed next to his lover.

"And if I don't want to?"

Jakotsu giggled. "That's when the fantasy me takes over," he said as Bankotsu flushed a deep crimson again.

"Fantasy you?" the younger man asked, although he was sure he was going to regret it.

"Yeah, the fantasy me. You sure spent an awful long time with him in the bath. So tell me, does he look as good in red as I do?" the cross-dresser said, reaching out, and running his finger down his life-partner's chest, stopping when he reached the towel around his waist.

Bankotsu swallowed and said nothing.

"I take it that's a 'no'?" Jakotsu smirked, removing his hand form Bankotsu's waist and, looking at his hand as if admiring it. "I know! I bet he paints his nails Crimson Passion! I was going to paint mine, but then I was waiting for someone to get out of the bath and with my luck, he'd get out before they were dry."

"You would have?" the younger man could not keep the sigh out of his voice as the mental image of Jakotsu painting his nails red danced in his head.

"Uh-hunh." Jakotsu sat up on his knees and leaned in to kiss the younger man. Sitting back on his heels, he said airily, "It's a pity you were too busy with the fantasy me to let the real me know." The cross-dresser smiled impishly. "I thought you had fallen in or something. I guess it's a good thing I didn't come in and check on you or I would have caught you 'cheating' on me... or is technically cheating when it's your hand and imagination?"

"Sweetness..." Bankotsu said, his blush returning to spill across his cheeks.

"What?" Jakotsu said sweetly. "Are you sorry I didn't come in? Think about it... we could have had a threesome! You, me and fantasy me!" He giggled.

"I'm sorry."

"Why? You didn't do anything wrong. It's a natural urge, and I was away for a couple of days and it is nice knowing that you missed me so much," Jakotsu said softly as he reached out to snake his arms around Bankotsu's waist. The younger man visibly relaxed, thinking the teasing was over, until the cross-dresser said, "So is the fantasy me good? I mean real good, the kind of curl your toes up in ecstasy when you cum good?"

Bankotsu turned beet red.

"Ooh... It seems I've got competition in bed!" Jakotsu giggled. "I'm so jealous!"

"Then maybe you should give me a reason to give up the fantasy you. Prove you're better in bed."

"My pleasure!" Jakotsu said happily. Before the cross-dresser could do anything more than get his feet out from under himself, Bankotsu wordlessly pounced, covering the giggling cross-dresser with kisses.

_Aah... I think I will get you something red to wear, Ban honey. It's such a nice color on you..._ Jakotsu thought, planting another little crimson kiss on his lover's cheek.


	20. Chapter 20: The road home

The road home (kiss 20)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_Special thanks to Jen for her help polishing and buffing this until it shines._

_FYI: Jakotsu works in Kyoto, which is like Japan's equivalent to Hollywood. Bankotsu's record company's offices and recording studio are located in Tokyo. Their apartment is also in Tokyo, hence Jakotsu's commute to Kyoto during the week, where he has a small apartment. He travels on the Bullet Train using the Tokaido line which runs from Tokyo to Osaka and back._

888

This time the road home had a more leisurely feel to it with Bankotsu by his side. The record producer had taken the week off and had accompanied Jakotsu back to Kyoto so they could have more than just a weekend together. Even though the cross-dresser had spent long hours at work and Bankotsu was left to amuse himself by alternating visits to the studio with sightseeing, they were together at night instead of spending hours each evening on the phone.

Jakotsu had a week's hiatus so they decided to spend the time together at home and the cross-dresser was eager to get there because he never considered his Kyoto apartment his home. In fact, Jakotsu firmly believed in the old sayings, "home is where the heart is" and since Bankotsu lived in the apartment in Tokyo, "there's no place like home." He bubbled happily with excitement on the long train ride. To the casual onlooker they looked like a young professional couple, deliriously in love and expecting their first child. The character Jakotsu played on TV, Fujiwara Emiko, got married shortly before they had their commitment ceremony because the producers of the nighttime soap opera, Jakotsu was on, decided that she should get pregnant. The cross-dresser excitedly stepped up to the challenge until he was outfitted with a heavy pregnancy suit. And because Emiko was just beginning to show, the producers decided Jakotsu only needed a week to get used to wearing the suit so that he could comfortably wear it under the hot studio lights without fainting like he did the day they finally filmed the scene. Then from time to time, Wardrobe could increase the amount of extra padding until he looked like a woman with a full term pregnancy.

"I feel so stupid dressed like this. I mean it's one thing while on the set, it's another to walk around like this at home. But I suppose if Rin-chan can do it, I can too."

Bankotsu covered up his laughter by pretending to cough. "Well, if it's any consolation, Sweetness, you look even prettier than she does."

"That's so mean! She can't help it if her face broke out from the hormones." The cross-dresser giggled.

"What's so funny?"

"Sessh's tummy. He looks like he's cooking a lil bun in his oven too," Jakotsu smirked.

The two of them laughed. Several of the other train passengers turned around and frowned at them for being so loud until Jakotsu yawned daintily, and leaning on Bankotsu, he closed his eyes.

"If you're tired, Sweetness, go to sleep. I'll wake you when we get there."

"You sure, Ban honey? I feel so bad; here I get a rare trip home with you and I spend it sleeping or fighting off sleep." He sighed.

"It's okay. Look, you were up way before I was and hard at work too." Bankotsu looked at his watch. "We'll be home at midnight and this way you won't be too tired for a proper 'welcome home.'"

Jakotsu sat up just long enough to brush his lips against his life-partner's cheek. "Thanks... I promise to make it up to you when we get home."

"Sssh... Just go to sleep, Sweetness."

Jakotsu daintily yawned again. Closing his eyes, he settled back against the younger man and dozed off, lulled to sleep by movement of the train and the warm presence that was Bankotsu. The younger man was left alone with his thoughts, all of which centered on Jakotsu and how nice it was going to be to have him all to himself for the next week, or rather ten days. That was until he remembered Rin's baby shower party, which was being hosted at their apartment tomorrow. Groaning mentally, Bankotsu realized there would be no sleeping in, all curled up next to Jakotsu, because the cross-dresser would haul his butt out of bed at an ungodly hour in order to get everything ready. Smiling, Bankotsu imagined the look on everyone's face when they saw the cross-dresser. _That alone will be worth getting up early... _he thought while he stared through the window at the blackness beyond. _A pity it's not daytime. The scenery around here was so pretty when I traveled to Kyoto..._

Jakotsu shifted slightly in his sleep as if trying to get more comfortable. Bankotsu wondered if he should also move so that the cross-dresser could lean back in his arms. But worry about waking him up, when there was still an hour and a half left to go, made him sit still. Instead, Bankotsu contented himself with watching Jakotsu's eyelashes flutter while he dreamt, and listening to him snore softly. The movement of the train started to lull him to sleep as well, and before he knew it, Bankotsu was adding his own snores to the mix.

888

"Oh crap!! Get up, Sweetness!!" Bankotsu cried. He woke up with a start, thinking they were about to miss their stop.

Jakotsu looked over at him. "Relax, Ban honey, the train just pulled into the station about two minutes ago. Let's just wait until the other passengers disembark first. Besides, it's midnight and this is the last stop for the night."

"You're awake?" Bankotsu blinked owlishly at his life-partner.

"Yeah... I do this all the time. I'm used to waking up the minute the train stops." The cross-dresser smiled. "Come, let's go."

They left the train, following the small crowd of people out to the street. At twelve midnight, Tokyo was full of people enjoying the nightlife. It was a different crowd from the one that haunted the streets during the day. It was younger, hipper, and in some instances, more outrageously dressed than their "tamer" daytime counterparts.

Bankotsu took his life-partner's hand as they navigated the crowds hanging out in front of the various bars, clubs, and coffee shops that lined the street in the heart of downtown Tokyo.

"Ban honey, can we take a cab?" Jakotsu asked. "I figure the sooner we get home, the quicker we can have some welcome home fun."

Bankotsu laughed. "Okay." He looked over at the cross-dresser and squeezed his hand.

"Oh, don't give me that look. I take a cab because I don't like walking around this late at night by myself. Coming home that much quicker to you is just gravy."

"And we all know how much you like 'gravy,'" the younger man said, chuckling.

"You'd better believe it!" the cross-dresser smirked. "How else do you explain how I got like this?" he asked, patting his stomach.

"Wardrobe department?" Bankotsu quipped.

Jakotsu laughed, and pulling out his cell phone, he called a cab. Minutes later, it arrived and they quickly piled inside. Bankotsu sat on the right and stared out the window at the passing scenery, while Jakotsu mirrored him on the left. They rode in companionable silence and Jakotsu counted the streetlights in his head._ Five, six, seven, eight, nine, three more and we'll be home..._

"You okay, Sweetness?" Bankotsu said quietly, pulling the cross-dresser from his thoughts.

"Uh-hunh... I was just thinking about the road home and how nice it was having you by my side this time." Jakotsu smiled. "Hey look, we're home!"

"Yeah..." Bankotsu said. He paid for the ride and followed Jakotsu out of the cab.

The cross-dresser took his hand and they walked slowly up the path to their apartment building, before disappearing inside. He looked over at his life-partner and smiled, before leaning over and kissing him. _The road home is definitely much better when you're by my side as home is just a kiss away..._


	21. Chapter 21: Extortion, violence

Extortion, violence (kiss 21)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_Special thanks to Jen for her awesome suggestions! I know this fic wouldn't be the same without them!_

888

"Ban honey, can you help me with this?" Jakotsu held up the pregnancy suit.

"You seriously want to wear that thing today? Don't we have a million and one things to do before Rin's shower?" Bankotsu said lazily. He was still lying in bed, and the thought of all the running around the cross-dresser was going to have him do today made him want to pull the blankets up over his head and sleep until tomorrow.

"Yes. You don't want the studio calling you up again when I keel over again after wearing it without being used to it, or do you? Remember it's still about a three hour trip from here to Kyoto no matter how fast the train's running."

"I know... I just don't want anyone thinking you're stealing the limelight from Rin or worse, having her think you're making fun of her."

"I would never do that and you know it!" Jakotsu huffed. "Fine, have it your way!" He dropped the pregnancy suit onto the bed. "I'll wear something else."

"Well, I'm only saying that because I love you..." Bankotsu soothed, however it fell flat.

"Whatever. Besides, I just remembered, I don't have anything to wear with it. Damn it!" the cross-dresser swore. He hurried over to his dresser and found a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt to wear. "Get up, Ban honey! We don't have all day!"

"I know... But why couldn't we have this over at Sessh's place or Inuyasha's? Isn't this something Kagome should be doing?" Bankotsu whined as the last thing he wanted to do was clean the house and run around like a crazy person, getting things ready for tonight.

The cross-dresser wordlessly huffed while he got dressed. He disappeared into the bathroom to brush his teeth. Five minutes later, when he emerged from the master bath, he walked past Bankotsu like he was not even there and headed towards the living room.

The younger man stood there, open mouthed, unable to believe what had just happened. Bankotsu quickly got dressed and brushed his teeth, before hurrying after the cross-dresser.

888

Jakotsu banged around the living room, making as much noise as possible to show his annoyance with his life-partner. Every time Bankotsu, who was busy moving the dining room chairs into their bedroom, asked what was wrong, he either got a blank stare or a simple "nothing." The younger man knew from experience that "nothing" meant something seriously was wrong, but he had no idea what it was. And if there was one thing Bankotsu hated, it was dancing around an issue, while trying to guess what it was.

"Sweetness, what's wrong?" he tried in vain again.

"Nothing..."

"You sure?" Bankotsu asked.

"Yes!" the cross-dresser said tersely.

"Then why were you banging stuff around before?" _And giving me a headache?_

"Because!"

"Are you sure you're not upset about something?" _Please tell me... the suspense is killing me because I can't fix it if I don't know what it is..._

"Yes! But if you don't know; then forget it!" Jakotsu cried peevishly. He turned and pounded the pillows on the sofa in an attempt to fluff them up. Bankotsu had the feeling his life-partner would rather be pounding his head and he breathed a short sigh of relief when Jakotsu went to get the furniture polish.

"If you had told me sooner about the party, I would have made arrangements for the cleaning lady to come..." Bankotsu trailed off softly when the cross-dresser returned with the polish and glared at him.

"I did. But you were so busy trying to get in my pants that you weren't paying attention." Jakotsu walked over to the dining room table and sprayed it with polish.

"Oh..." _Shit!_

"Never mind..." the cross-dresser said wearily as he began dusting the dining room table, before moving onto the buffet. When he was finished, he headed into the living room to repeat the process on the coffee table and end tables.

Bankotsu stood there, silently watching him the whole time, while the cross-dresser ignored him.

Jakotsu stood there, a dust cloth in one hand and a can of spray polish in the other. He had just finished dusting the furniture and was taking a minute to admire his handiwork.

Bankotsu crept up behind him and put his arms around the cross-dresser.

"Do you mind?" Jakotsu said tersely. "I have work to do."

"Hunh?" The younger man blinked in confusion as he let go. "But you look so cute in your apron... that I ummm..."

Jakotsu turned to face him. "It's not going to happen after the way you've been acting today. No nooky for you until you learn to behave."

"What?!" Bankotsu sputtered.

"You heard me. No nooky until you behave." The cross-dresser pushed past him and headed towards the kitchen.

"But I didn't do anything!" Bankotsu trailed along behind him.

"You did too! First you refused to help me with something that's vital to my job, and secondly you complained about doing something nice for a friend. The only reason I volunteered to have it here is because this is the last place Rin would expect." _And in a sense this is the closest I'm ever going to come to getting one myself. It's bad enough I missed out on a wedding shower because everyone assumed I didn't want one. Well, I'm not missing out on this!_ He glared at his life partner.

Bankotsu glared back at him. He was sorely tempted to tell the cross-dresser to clean the apartment by himself, but the thought of having Jakotsu home for a week with nothing to do but stare angrily at each other made him keep quiet. Instead, he softened his gaze, and asked sweetly, "What do you need me to do?"

Jakotsu smiled back at him. _Sweet talking me still isn't going to get you any nooky, Ban honey... _"You can vacuum the rugs while I call Kagome and find out who's bringing the food." The cross-dresser waved and left the room.

"Sweetness, what if we go shopping tomorrow for ummm... maternity clothes?" Bankotsu called out to him. _Oh hell, I can't believe I said that! _ He rubbed tiredly at his forehead.

"Maybe," the cross-dresser called out as he paused by the phone in their bedroom.

"Maybe?"

"Yeah, it depends on how I feel tomorrow. I might want to go by myself." _I wonder if he finds the idea of me being "pregnant" disturbing... Does this mean he doesn't want children at all or just not with me...? _

"Sweetness, I'm sorry for whatever I did or failed to do," Bankotsu said sweetly while he hauled the vacuum cleaner out of the hall closet.

"I'll let it drop for the moment, I really don't want to be fighting during Rin's shower, but if you really want to show me you mean it, you're going to have to do something to really make it up to me," Jakotsu said. He walked out of the bedroom and over to his life-partner.

"Like what?"

"I don't know yet, all I do know is you've made me feel even more uncomfortable about wearing that stupid pregnancy thing than I was before."

"I'm sorry." Bankotsu kissed his life-partner's cheek.

"Thank you, but you're still not off the hook." Jakotsu's expression softened a bit.

The younger man smiled. "How about I get us a room at that little onsen you liked in Izu?"

"No. I can't go, Ban, I have a week to get used to that damned suit and you know that! Going to an onsen means sitting around naked which is a lot of fun but next to impossible with that damned suit on! No, it has to be something good like... Like you wear it for a day so you know what it feels like!"_ That stupid thing weighs a ton by the end of the day and it's hot and it's also awkward to move around in._

Bankotsu laughed. "You're kidding me, right?"

"Does it look like I'm kidding?" Jakotsu asked. The cross-dresser stood there with his arms folded neatly across his chest. He smiled sweetly at his life-partner and said, "But if it's too much to ask..." Jakotsu heaved a long suffering sigh. "I guess this means you're okay with no nooky while I'm here, which means it's going to be about two weeks before you get some because I'm going back to work a week from tomorrow."

"What?!"

"You heard me, you either wear that damned thing so you know exactly how serious I am about the need to get used to it, or you give up nooky for two weeks!"

"That's extortion!"

"I know... Playing a yakuza thug in that movie really paid off." Jakotsu smiled and walked into the kitchen. Picking up the phone, he dialed Kagome. "Hey, Kags... Yeah, it's me, Jaki... I'm calling about the food... What? Inu-chan'll be here in an hour with it? Okay... thanks! Bye!" He hung up.

888

Jakotsu sat at the kitchen table, wrapping candy in little tulle circles, while Bankotsu tied a bit of ribbon around to keep them closed. Several times he looked up and was about to say something to his life-partner only to close his mouth, frown and go back to assembling the little party favors.

"Now what's wrong, Sweetness?"

"Nothing..."

"Don't give me that crap; something's wrong or you wouldn't be sitting there, making faces at me. Are you going to tell me or what?"

Jakotsu sighed. "I was thinking..."

The younger man snorted in amusement. "That can be a dangerous thing."

The cross-dresser was clearly not amused. "I was thinking about children," he said softly.

"Oh."

"Yeah..."

"Why? Did you want one?"

Jakotsu shrugged. "I don't know... a part me doesn't, because I don't like the idea of sharing you with anyone." He looked his life-partner in the eye. "And yet, there's a part of me that ummm..."

"Yeah...?"

"Well..." The cross-dresser sighed. "I suppose if I really was a woman, I'd probably be pregnant because the idea of carrying your baby is a pleasant one..." Jakotsu smiled wistfully. "But we all know that ain't happening. So forget it."

"We could look into adoption."

"I said forget it, Ban. It's a stupid idea. I shouldn't have brought it up."

"Okay..." Bankotsu said patiently.

"Great! I knew you wanted children!" Jakotsu pushed away from the table and got up. He quickly left the room.

"Sweetness!" Bankotsu did the same, and hurried after him. He found his life-partner in their bedroom, staring at his pregnancy suit as it lay at the foot of their bed. Bankotsu walked up to him and wrapped his arms around him from behind. He refused to let go, even though Jakotsu had stiffened under his touch.

"I want to be alone, Ban... honey."

"Okay." Bankotsu started to leave, but turned around and picked up the pregnancy suit. He stared at it for several minutes and said, "Here, I'll move this out of your way as I think you should lie down and take a quick nap before Inuyasha gets here."

"Fine." The cross-dresser rubbed his temples tiredly, before lying down on the bed.

"Have a good nap, Sweetness."

"Thanks, and be careful with that."

"Okay..." Bankotsu took the suit with him into the living room.

888

Bankotsu sat the pregnancy suit down next to him on the sofa and switched on the TV. He channel surfed for several minutes, before finally settling on a crime drama. Try as he might, Bankotsu found it hard to ignore the suit's presence. Giving into temptation, he picked it up, and standing up, tried putting it on. Since the mass of padding was designed to fit Jakotsu, it hung awkwardly on him. Chuckling softly, he sat and patted his new stomach, before trying to pull it down, as the padded breasts were now up around his neck. After wiggling around for a few minutes, to get the bottom out from under his butt, he was able to spread it open. After that the suit settled nicely on him like a blanket.

When Jakotsu woke up from his nap, a half hour later, he annoyed to see Bankotsu sitting there, wearing the suit. "What are you doing?"

"Watching TV."

"I mean why are wearing that thing?" A tiny hint of annoyance started to creep into the cross-dresser's voice.

"Dunno..." Bankotsu looked up at his life-partner. "You did say I had to wear it or no nooky." He grinned at the cross-dresser.

Jakotsu rolled his eyes at him. _Idiot!_ "I was angry when I said that and I didn't mean it. Do you have any idea how much that thing cost to make?" he said tersely.

"No..." _But you're going to tell me._

"More yen than you or I make in a year as it's custom fitted to me, designed to be easily expanded as Emiko's pregnancy progresses, which means it'll be back each time they add to it. And it took three months of fitting and cutting and pinning and planning and generally making me crazy before they came up with this design. And that's not even counting the day I spent wearing it just to have my new measurements taken for wardrobe. The damned thing weighs about fifteen pounds now, which is about six or seven kilos but by the time Emiko's ready to give birth, I was told it could easily weigh up to thirty pounds." At his life-partner's blank stare, he added, "I forget you didn't grow up with pounds, but that's like thirteen, fourteen kilos! And add hot studio lights, annoying directors, and wardrobe and make-up people fussing over you and you get-"

"Okay, okay!"

"It's not okay! You take that thing off right now and go put it on the bed and don't mess it up!" Jakotsu glared at him, reminding the younger man of his aunt when she had had enough of his cousins and him horsing around.

"Okay!"

"I'm serious, Ban!"

"I know!" _Damn it! If you don't calm down, I'm going to tie you up and throw you in the closet, so I don't have to listen to your bullshit, until five minutes before the party starts. It's either that, or I'm outta here until then._ Bankotsu headed towards the bedroom.

Jakotsu watched him go, before collapsing on the sofa. _Why do you pick the worst times to be a smartass? I'll never know... but putting that on for forty five minutes, doesn't get you off the hook. Maybe tomorrow when everything's calmed down, you can wear it the whole day, like I said. If not, then I'll just have to think of something else that's if my brain doesn't explode from this headache._

888

Inuyasha arrived an hour later with the food. Since there was a lot of it, he was going to be forced to make several trips up and down from the apartment's parking lot to their apartment unless he talked Bankotsu and Jakotsu into helping him lug the boxes upstairs. However, he was unprepared for the sight that greeted him when he rang the doorbell. "Uh, Ban...?" The black haired guitarist stood there at a loss for words.

"Yeah?" Bankotsu said as he let him in. In a perverse moment of rebellion at the cross-dresser's bitchy and demanding mood, he left the pregnancy suit on. It hung loosely on him, the bottom of the small padded belly hitting him mid-crotch. It was not so bad when he stood there, but it got to be just as annoying as Jakotsu when it kept hitting him there as he walked around in it.

"What the hell are you wearing?"

"Jak's pregnancy suit," Bankotsu deadpanned.

"Oh-kay..." Inuyasha drawled. "Any special reason why you're wearing it, or is it better I don't ask?"

"It's better you don't ask, that way when I kill him you won't know enough, and I can get off with justifiable homicide," Jakotsu said as he came over to them and glared at his life-partner. _Don't think having Inu-chan here is going to save your ass, Ban honey._ He hurried over to Inuyasha and took the box laden with food for the party. Without a word he headed into the kitchen, followed by the other two.

"I have more in the trunk of car."

"You need help?"

"I could use a little. I have two more boxes. The girls..." he trailed off as he stared at Bankotsu. "Saggy boobs aren't a good look for you, Ban," Inuyasha teased and his boss grinned.

"The girls what?" Jakotsu prompted while he made room in the fridge for first box of food.

"Made a ton of food. You know, there are times when you two make me awful glad I'm straight," Inuyasha teased. "And this is one of them."

"Yeah?" Jakotsu said, "Well, this is one of those times I'm seriously thinking of going over to the dark side."

They stared expectantly over at Bankotsu.

"Hey! You're the one who said I had to wear it or else!" the younger man pointed at his life-partner.

"No, I said I had to wear it and you were the one coming up with all sorts of reasons for me not to, so I told you no nooky until you took me seriously. But if you have a problem with it, then after the party, I'm going back to Kyoto because I need to wear it so that I'm used to it and it looks natural on camera."

Before Bankotsu could get out a tart reply, Inuyasha interrupted him, "Guys, I'm going to go down to my car and get the rest of the food and while I'm gone you two can argue to your hearts' content. I really don't want to be in the middle of things." He grinned at them. "What can I say? I hate conflict. And I'll uh... be back as soon as I can."

"Wait! I'm coming with you, during which time someone, who shall remain nameless, will get out of that thing and start setting up the buffet stations on the dining room table," the cross-dresser said as he gave his life-partner the "look."

"Fine."

"Thank you..." Jakotsu smiled sweetly at Bankotsu and walked past him.

The younger man mentally shrugged. _Whatever... I don't know what's gotten into you today, Sweetness, but you're a royal pain in the ass. I just hope you calm down before the party starts. _He watched them go. _I wish I knew what to say to make you feel better about not having a baby, or having a baby... You've got me so confused as to what you want that whatever I say will be the wrong thing anyway... _

When they returned with the last of the food, Bankotsu had taken off the pregnancy suit and was busy setting up the dining room table.

"Thanks, Inu-chan. I'll see everyone later tonight. And Sessh knows what time he's supposed to get here, right?"

"Yup! As much as I'd like to stay, I'd better get home. Catch you later!"

Jakotsu chuckled at their friend's impatience to get out of there. "Okay," he said as he walked him to the door.

"Bye, Inuyasha!" Bankotsu called out from the dining room.

"Later, Ban!"

Bankotsu waited in the dining room for Inuyasha to leave. "Sweetness, you got a minute?"

Jakotsu slowly approached him. "Yeah. Why?"

"We need to talk."

"About what?" the cross-dresser said apprehensively.

"About babies... if you want one or not," Bankotsu said, taking his life-partner by the arm, and steering him towards the living room sofa.

Jakotsu smiled as they sat down. "I'd rather have a cat."

"I'm serious, Jak."

"So am I." He looked away and back. "Look, you know as well as I do, that I spend half my life in Kyoto and half here. Truthfully, I'd rather be here, but since that's not possible..." He shrugged. "And I don't want to be an absentee parent either. And I know it's extremely selfish of me, but honestly, I really don't want to share you with anyone else, including our child. But if you want children, I won't stop you from leaving."

"Excuse me? Who said anything about me leaving? Or wanting children if you don't? I want what's going to make you happy, because that's what'll make me happy. So if you don't want a child; that's fine with me. I like being 'Uncle Ban' to all our friend's kids and I know how much you love being 'Aunty J.' But if you don't want to be a mom or a dad, that's fine. I'm not going to get angry about it. What I will get angry about is you always pushing me away like that. I'm not those assholes you dated before. I'm in it for the long haul, Jak, and if you don't like that, well it's tough." He took the cross-dresser's hand in his.

Jakotsu said nothing. He could not bring himself to look at his life-partner.

"Sweetness, I know it's hard being a childless couple when all your friends have children," Bankotsu said, pausing to catch his life-partner's eye. "And I know this because my cousin spent a lot of time being miserable about this. And you must remember how happy she was when she and her husband finally adopted a child." He squeezed Jakotsu's hand. "Now I'm not saying we have to, but we can think about it. Or you could simply enjoy Emiko-chan's pregnancy and leave it at that."

Jakotsu nodded.

"And if you feel like playing with a baby, I'm sure Sessh and Rin would love to have you babysit," Bankotsu said. He was glad when the cross-dresser finally smiled.

"Yeah..."

"But if you ever and I mean ever tell to me to leave again, I will. Understood?"

Jakotsu swallowed nervously and nodded. He nibbled on his fingernail. "I'm sorry..." he said softly.

"You'd better be, or else."

"Or else, what?"

"Or else I'll paddle your behind," Bankotsu grinned.

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Try me."

"That's extortion!"

Bankotsu laughed. "That's not extortion, Sweetness, that's a threat of violence."

"Oh yeah..." the cross-dresser said sheepishly.

"Good. Now I promise to behave as long as you promise not to tell me to get lost."

"And I promise to never tell you to get lost as long as you behave..." Jakotsu said as he leaned in for a kiss. _And that means you still have to wear the suit tomorrow..._

888

_Please if you liked this fic, let me know... Feedback is good for an author's soul and good for you too as that way I know if you're enjoying this or not. Thanks!_

_Also, just out of curiosity, what astrological sign do you think Ban is? My friend, Jen, and I figure that Jak is a Libra. If you want to hazard a guess, let me know in your review. Please also let me know why you think he's the sign that you picked._


	22. Chapter 22: Cradle

Cradle (kiss 22)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_Special thanks to Jen for all her help and great suggestions!_

_For Ranuel, who wanted to see Rin's baby shower…_

_FYI: A genkan is the entryway in a Japanese home. It's were you come in and take off your shoes and hang up your coat. _

888

"Okay, everybody sssh while I go get the door!" Jakotsu hissed when the doorbell rang. All of their friends had assembled for Rin's surprise baby shower in the apartment he shared with his life-partner, Bankotsu. It was several minutes past eight at night, and everything was going according to plan. "I'm coming!" Jakotsu called out as he walked down into the apartment's genkan.

Two quick steps and he had the door open. "Come in, come in!" the cross-dresser said happily. "Hey, Ban honey, Sessh and Rin are here." He helped Rin into house slippers, before taking their coats and hanging them up. "Come on in." The cross-dresser led them up the two stairs into the hallway and from there it was a quick step into the living room.

"Surprise!!" everyone cried as they crowded around.

"It's official, Rin-chan, you're pregnant!" Jakotsu hugged her.

"I don't believe you!" Rin laughed in shocked delight. "Seriously, thank you so much…" she said, sniffling at the cross-dresser and his life partner, when they hugged her.

"Please don't cry, Rin, if you do, someone else is going to turn on the waterworks," Bankotsu said.

Everyone looked at the cross-dresser.

"Your boyfriend pms-ing again, Ban?" Sessh quipped.

"Yeah…" Bankotsu chuckled.

"Hey! Emiko-chan is pregnant and I'm just getting into the spirit of things," Jakotsu huffed in mock indignation.

"That's right! I remember crying all the time with my youngest," Sango said.

"Don't listen to them, Jak darling, you look great. I wish I carried my kids as well as you," Kagura said

"Yeah, so how'd you get out of all that weight gain? I think if I gain any more weight, I'm going to explode," Rin said.

"And you skin is so clear! How'd you do it? I swear I had more pimples for those nine months than I did as a teenager," Kagome added.

The girls laughed.

"Yeah? Well, if you're good I'll trade my secrets with you if you tell me all your stories. I really need this to work as the press hasn't been too kind. But first things first!" Jakotsu said excitedly. "We have a game to play. I'm going to get some string and then we're going to measure out how big you think Rin is!"

"Excuse me!" Rin cried.

"You heard me and whoever comes the closest is the winner. So everyone hold onto your string once I cut it."

"I don't know if I want to play," Rin said. "I feel big as a house as it is." _Not to mention that shrimp burger and chocolate shake I had for lunch isn't sitting too well in my stomach…_

"Go along with it, Honey. Jak is trying hard," her husband said softly.

"Okay…"

Kagome came over to them. "I'm sorry, Rin, but you know how carried away he gets with things."

"Yeah." She sighed softly.

"Oh and ummm…" Kagome bit back a laugh as she tied a paper plate to her sister-in-law's head.

"What's this for?"

"That's for all the ribbons and bows off your gifts. Every time someone hands you one give it to Sessh. And you, Sessh, hand it over to me so I can tape it to her hat."

"Why am I beginning to regret this…?" Rin said as a wave of panic hit her.

"Rin honey, you're not supposed to regret it until you're trying to give birth to a watermelon," Sango said. She handed her friend a gift. "Go ahead and open it."

"A watermelon…?" Rin blinked. "Are you sure it's not too late to change my mind." The new mommy-to-be sat down on the sofa and started to open her gift.

Kagome laughed and taped the bow to Rin's hat. "You should have thought of that nine months ago," she quipped.

"Nine months? It's only been eight months, two weeks, three days and who's counting?" They laughed. "Awe… How sweet! Thank you, Sango," Rin said as she showed off the layette. The box contained several pale yellow and green baby all-in-ones, and a couple of receiving blankets.

"I'm so glad you like it. They're in various sizes from newborn all the way up to one year, because every time you turn around they've outgrown something."

"So I've heard."

On the other side of the living room, Jakotsu was busy cutting string and, handing it out. Bankotsu was pleased he had calmed down some now that the party had started.

"Things better now that everyone's here?" Inuyasha asked quietly.

Bankotsu nodded. "Yeah. This whole pregnancy thing with Emiko is making him crazy but now that I know that, it's a lot better."

"Good. Although, I have to say he's got the broody woman part down."

"Broody woman?" Bankotsu said, quirking his eyebrow at his friend.

"Yeah, it's something my mom used to say a lot when we growing up. You know, 'that cousin is getting broody now that that one's going to have a baby.' She used to say it about Kagome too."

"Oh…" Bankotsu stroked his chin. "Although, in his case it's probably nerves about being able to successfully pull it off. It's been all over the press and now that the producers have decided to really go with it, he's been very hard on himself."

"Yeah, well being a perfectionist'll do that to you."

Bankotsu laughed. "Oh yeah!"

"You know, he looks pretty good without all the make-up on. What happen, the sight of your saggy boobs enough to make him forget he's a woman?"

Bankotsu rolled his eyes. "No… He decided he wasn't going to upstage Rin at her party. But if you wait long enough, he'll put on that frilly apron of his…" he sighed softly.

Inuyasha laughed. "Dude, you've got it bad."

"Tell me about it," he said as he watched the cross-dresser flitting around the living room, cleaning up some of the discarded plates, napkins and cups like the perfect hostess.

888

Kagome went into the kitchen and returned with a large paper bag. She explained to everyone there that they had to stick their hand in it, feel what was inside, and write down everything they thought it could be. The winner would be the one who had the most correct guesses. Everyone roared with laughter when Jakotsu won that game.

"Congrats, Rin," Kagura said. She leaned in to kiss the younger woman's cheek. Her husband, Kouga who was standing behind her, also kissed Rin, before handing her a present. This time Sessh taped the bow and ribbons to her hat when she opened the gift. "Oh look, Honey, it's a quilt and bumper set for the crib! I love all the little bunnies on it!"

"Thanks!" she and her husband chorused.

"Time for the guess the mush game!" Jakotsu said as he breezed by. He paused and exclaimed, "Ooh, what a cute crib set!"

"Isn't it?" Rin gushed.

"Very," the cross-dresser agreed. "Anyhow… it's time to start the next game. Ban honey, I need you to go around blindfolding all the guys after they have a seat. Then I need you to sit down as well and have one of the girls blindfold you, because all the guys are going to be guessing what flavor of baby food they're eating. Girls, just write it down, and after they eat all three, the winner will be the one who comes the closest to getting them all right. I also have a few jars of something different in case we need a tie-breaker." The cross-dresser grinned.

Everyone was surprised when Naraku got them all right. "You know this beef stuff is one of the ingredients in making a White Castle burger at home."

"A what?" Bankotsu asked.

"White Castle is a cheap fast-food place with these tiny lil burgers; I think you can get a ton of them for a couple of bucks. Thankfully, that's one chain that never made it over here. I remember my mother taking me there to eat when I was kid because McDonalds was too far," Jakotsu said with a sigh.

"We used to go to Wendy's when I was little," Rin said. "I wish I had a chocolate frosty." She sighed.

"Hmmm… we've got chocolate ice cream in the fridge, Rin. I can make you one," Bankotsu said.

"He makes the best chocolate shakes too," the cross-dresser added.

"Okay…" she said. Rin winced and rubbed her belly.

"You okay?"

"Yeah… Sessh took me to McDonald's for lunch and it didn't sit well." She waved her husband and the cross-dresser away. "I'll be fine." Rin ignored her discomfort, even though she suddenly felt like she wanted to be home where no one but Sesshomaru would fuss over her. Just as quickly as the feeling came over her, it passed and she was able put a genuine smile on her face as she accepted the present and well wishes, Kikyou and Naraku gave her.

"Here, Rin," Bankotsu said when he handed her the shake. "Enjoy, and uh… don't let Jak have any, cuz he's liable to finish it on you."

She laughed. "Gotcha!" Rin sipped her shake. Her eyes went wide when Kagome and Inuyasha approached, pushing a stroller. Besides a few bows hanging off of it, it also had a couple of balloons tied to the handle. "You are so not putting those balloons on my hat!"

"Nah, those are for my brother," Inuyasha said.

"Good…"

"Congrats, Sweetie," Kagome said as she hugged her sister-in-law. "And don't worry; Jak said Ren has a truck and he'll bring everything over when you're ready."

"That's good, because Sessh and I took the train over here." Rin winced again.

"You okay?"

"Yeah… I think it's a combination of a bad lunch and those false labor pains," Rin replied.

Kagome nodded and prayed she did not look as alarmed as she felt. She patted her sister-in-law on the arm, and after excusing herself, she helped Jakotsu clean up some of the little messes around the room.

888

When Rin came back from using the bathroom, much to her dismay, Jak had everyone line up with their string to measure her stomach. Sesshomaru easily won that game, claiming it was unfair for him to play, since he knew Rin better than anyone else.

The next hour passed in a blur of chocolate cake, another game, and people coming over to talk to her. By now, Rin wanted to go home, but politeness kept her there. She was also getting tired of listening to the girl's "war stories" about going into labor. Rin plastered a smile on her face when her hosts finally came over with a Hello Kitty plushie and a large box.

"Hello Kitty, Jak?" Sesshomaru said, taking the doll from the cross-dresser.

"Yup. It's because you're going to have a girl. I honestly can't see you making anything else, Sessh," the cross-dresser said seriously. Looking down at Rin, he winked and she giggled.

"I just want to say, I wasn't with him when he went shopping," Bankotsu added.

"Maybe you shouldn't open it, Rin," Sesshomaru joked.

Tearing the wrapping paper, she quipped, "Too late now, Honey." When she opened the box, Rin found an assortment of frilly little girl dresses. "They're beautiful…"

"And girly…" her husband added.

"Like I said before, I have the feeling it's going to be a girl."

"There's a gift receipt in the box, Rin, just in case he's wrong," Bankotsu added helpfully.

"You won't need it cuz I'm always right," Jakotsu said smugly.

"Tell me about it," Bankotsu deadpanned, much to their amusement.

"Hey!" The cross-dresser playfully hit him in the arm.

Bankotsu pulled him close and kissed him.

"Watch it! That's how we got into this situation," Sesshomaru said as he took Rin's hand and kissed her fingers.

"Oh, I don't think we have anything to worry about there, Sessh. My Ban honey is very careful."

They laughed.

Rin's laugh turned into a gasp. "I'm sorry; I know everyone went to a lot of trouble to make this party and all… But I really don't feel so good and I want to go home and lie down."

"Okay."

"Do you wart me to call Sui?"

"No, it's okay. Just call a cab."

"Will do…" Bankotsu went do as she asked.

"I'm sorry, everyone," Sesshomaru said, "Rin's not feeling well and she wants to go home. Thanks for a fun party."

"Bye…"

888

It was around 4:30 in the morning when the phone rang, jarring the cross-dresser and his life partner out of a sound sleep. Bankotsu reached over him to grab the phone. "Hello…" he said sleepily. "Kusao speaking…"

"Who is it…?" Jakotsu yawned.

"_Sorry to wake you, Ban, but Rin insisted I call you two first. Tell Jak he was right; we had a little girl."_

"Sessh. He said they had a girl-" Bankotsu said as Jakotsu grabbed the phone.

"Mommy and baby okay?" the cross-dresser said, sounding more awake than he was. "How big was the baby?"

"_Both are doing good. Aiko-chan was just over three kilos and is about 48 centimeters long."_

"That's wonderful, Sessh! Congrats! Bye…" He hung up the phone.

"I knew it…" the cross-dresser said smugly.

"Oh hell, there's going to be no living with you now…" the younger man groaned.

Jakotsu kissed him.

"Still want a baby?"

"Nah, I think I'd rather have a kitten…"

"You and your damned cats…" Bankotsu teased. "Go to sleep." He yawned and snuggled up next to the cross-dresser. "Why don't you borrow one of Sango's for a week to see if you like it…" he said, rubbing his hip at the not so fond memory of one of the many painful clashes he had suffered from Kirara.

"Yeah…" Jakotsu said airily and Bankotsu could hear the smile in his voice.

_Oh crap… I forgot he likes Kirara as much as Sango does. That dammed cat is going to destroy everything it gets its paws on. _Bankotsu tried not to sigh._ Including me!_

"'night, Ban honey." The cross-dresser kissed the top of his life-partner's head.

"G'night…"


	23. Chapter 23: Candy

Candy (kiss 23)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_Special thanks go out to Jen! Without your help these kisses wouldn't be half as good!_

_FYI: Valentine's Day is a "recent" holiday in Japan. It is celebrated a bit differently than in West, in Japan women give the special man in their life a gift of chocolate. They will also sometimes give candy to their friends and co-workers. White Day is a holiday that was created by candy makers for men to give the women in their lives a reciprocal gift. It was originally called Marshmallow day, as that was the traditional gift given. Since marshmallows are white, it was later changed to White Day. Besides candy, men will also give gifts of flowers or jewelry. The guys call it "three times" day as their gift is supposed to be three times the value of the gift they were given. _

_FYI: Jakotsu is singing the Bow Wow Wow version of the Strangeloves' 1965 hit, "I want Candy." Since Bow Wow Wow had a female lead singer, the altered lyrics fit. _

888

"Happy Valentine's Day, Ban honey," Jakotsu said. He pulled a small brightly wrapped box out from behind him and handed it to his life-partner. The cross-dresser smiled and kissed his life-partner's cheek.

"Thank you," Bankotsu said while he carefully tugged on the ribbon, loosening the bow until it came untied. He removed it and opened the box. "Chocolate truffles! My favorite!"

"I know!" The cross-dresser giggled.

"Don't tell me you made the ones with the cream filling?" Bankotsu said dreamily.

"Yup! I was thinking of you when I made them as I know how much you love the cream filling..." Jakotsu said huskily.

Bankotsu picked out a truffle and bit into it. The rich creamy filling squirted out onto his tongue. He swallowed it appreciatively, popping the rest of the truffle in his mouth and chewed. His expression took on a dreamy quality as he swallowed. "These are..." He sighed.

"What...?" Jakotsu said with baited breath.

"Orgasmic..." He sighed blissfully.

"I thought you'd like them," the cross-dresser said smugly.

"Do you mind if I give you something for White's Day this year?" Bankotsu asked. Reaching out and, wrapping his arm around his life-partner's waist, he pulled him onto his lap.

"No, not at all." Jakotsu happily snuggled against him, resting his head against the shorter man's neck as he melted into Bankotsu's embrace. _ I see you forgot to go buy me chocolates this year... Not that I mind, as this means I'll get a better present than the store bought version of your favorite candy..._

888

_A month later..._

Bankotsu stared at the kitchen calendar in horror. _Oh crap! I forgot I'm supposed to get Jak something for White's Day. It's March thirteenth and I still have no idea what to get him. I wonder if he'd like a handful of weeds like my aunt... What am I thinking?! I'll get him flowers! No wait... he made me some chocolates so he's probably expecting them in return which means he'll want candy... Oh hell! Cooking ramen is a big deal for me and he knows it... But if I make him some chocolates and they come out like shit, it's the thought that counts, right? _As these and several other panicked thoughts danced through his head, Bankotsu picked up the phone and dialed.

"_Hello, Nishi residence."_

"Sessh, it's me, Ban, put Rin on!"

"_No can do, Boss-man, she's busy nursing Aiko-chan."_

"Damn it!"

"_What's wrong, Ban?"_

"I need to make Jak some chocolates for White's Day and I don't know how."

Sesshomaru laughed. _"Good luck, Dude! Rin may be good, but she doesn't know how to make candy."_

"Shit..."

Sesshomaru chuckled. _"Sorry, Ban. I wish we could help."_

"It's okay, Sessh. I'll figure something out." _I hope..._

"_I know you will. Anyway, I've gotta go."_

"Bye..." Ban hung up the phone and sighed. _I wonder if I can find something on the 'net..._ He walked out of the kitchen and headed into the living room. There on the coffee table was his laptop, and plopping down on the sofa, he opened it. A few minutes later, he was busy looking through several food sites for an easy candy recipe. After an hour, Bankotsu finally struck gold. He had found a simple recipe for homemade chocolate marshmallow candies._ Perfect! It's got chocolate and marshmallows!! _

888

"Hibiya-san!"

Jakotsu turned around. "Yes?"

"Takahashi-san said to tell you, you can have the day off tomorrow. Nakajima-san called to say he won't be in as wife just went into labor."

"Really? That's wonderful. Then I'll see you on Monday."

"Bye, Hibiya-san."

"Masuda-san," the cross-dresser said.

"Yes?"

"Here's to that ring you wanted." Jakotsu smiled.

She giggled. "Oh yeah!"

888

Bankotsu brought his laptop into the kitchen and set it down on the table. He made a list of what he needed, before heading down to the little corner grocery store. Twenty minutes later, he was back upstairs in their apartment, emptying the bag on the table. He carefully measured out a cup of dark chocolate chips and a quarter cup of shortening and dumped them into the two cup measuring cup. Placing it into the microwave, he set it for a minute and a half at fifty percent power. Bankotsu watched it carefully and just as the chips started to get shiny and soft looking, he opened the microwave and took them out. He stirred until smooth; at least he hoped it was smooth enough. Taking a toothpick, he stuck it into the marshmallow and dipped it into the chocolate. Ten minutes later, he had the whole bag dipped, and sitting on a cookie sheet. While he was waiting for them to set, he heard the door open and someone step inside.

"Hey, Ban honey! I'm home!"

"Sweetness!" Bankotsu got up to greet him. "Don't come in the kitchen!"

"Okay, my darling," the cross-dresser said as he walked up out of the genkan and into his life-partner's arms. "Oooh... I'm happy to see you too!" They kissed.

"You're home early."

"Yeah. Nakajima-san's wife went into labor, so he left to go meet her at the hospital and I don't have to go in tomorrow and since tomorrow's Thursday, I've got an extra day off! We can spend White Day together." Jakotsu smiled. "Since I can't go into the kitchen, want to go out for dinner? The American McDonald's is fine with me."

"Okay. McDonald's it is."_ Perfect! Now the candy can set without you eating it... _Bankotsu turned him around and gave Jakotsu a gentle push towards the genkan and the door. "Let's go!"

"You poor thing, you must be starving..." Jakotsu said. He sat on the top step of genkan and put on his shoes.

"Yeah... I didn't go into work today so I wound up skipping lunch."

"Oh. If you were making dinner, we can eat that. I'm not very hungry, so I won't mind having ramen. Or I can make you something." The cross-dresser stood up and walked over to where his coat was hung up.

"No, McDonald's is fine with me. You can get a chocolate shake if you want." Bankotsu sat down and put on his shoes.

Jakotsu reached for his coat and put it on. "What's going on in the kitchen, Ban honey?"

"Nothing..." his life partner said vaguely.

The cross-dresser's eyes went wide. "You didn't burn the kitchen down, did you?"

"No..."

"Please tell me there's not a ton of dirty dishes in the sink..." Jakotsu sighed.

"No..."

"Then why can't I go in there?" The cross-dresser narrowed his eyes at Bankotsu. "You're not hiding a real woman in there, are you?!" He folded his arms across his chest.

"No! It's... It's a surprise," Bankotsu said as he reached for his jacket and put it on.

"A surprise, hunh?" Jakotsu arched a slender eyebrow at him.

"Yeah. Now let's go," Bankotsu said as he took Jakotsu by the arm, and opening the door, he gently steered him through it, closing it behind them.

888

On the way back from dinner, Jakotsu peppered his life-partner with questions about the surprise, all of which, Bankotsu refused to answer. He even went to so far as to completely ignore the questions, the closer they came to their apartment complex. When they stood just outside their door, Bankotsu looked up at the cross-dresser and said, "You know that surprise you keep pestering me about?"

Jakotsu immediately brightened. "Yeah?"

"It's my White's Day present for you," the shorter man started to say as he fumbled with the lock. "It's just that you came home earlier than I had expected so I never got a chance to wrap it for you."

The cross-dresser hugged his lifer-partner from behind. "Really?!"

"Yeah..."

"Thank you..." Jakotsu murmured softly into Bankotsu's ear. He shifted slightly and kissed the shorter man's cheek.

"You're welcome," Bankotsu said, trying to open the door. He struggled to pull away from Jakotsu's embrace so he could get the door open. "Do you mind?" he asked playfully, bringing his hand up to rest on Jakotsu's.

"Oh..." the cross-dresser groaned. "I was hoping to give the neighbors something to be jealous of," he teased and his life-partner laughed.

"Save it for later."

"If you insist," Jakotsu said as he let go of him and opened the door. "Dash?" he asked, his voice taking on a husky lilt.

"Saunter."

"Oooh... I like the sound of that," Jakotsu chortled.

888

"Wait, Sweetness."

"Why? Where're you going?"

"I just want to make sure your present's okay."

"You got me a cat, didn't you?!" Jakotsu said happily.

Bankotsu heaved a long suffering sigh. "Nope. Sorry, Sweetness, there's no cat, there's no puppy, there's no hamster. There's not even a goldfish or two. It's something I thought you'd like much better."

"Don't tell me you're going to dip yourself in chocolate...?" the cross-dresser said huskily.

"Close..." Bankotsu grinned. "Ok, I'll give it to you early."

"Yeah?" Jakotsu closed the distance between them and smiled sweetly at him.

Bankotsu nodded. "How can I resist that face?"

"Dunno..." The cross-dresser shrugged.

"Come."

They walked into the kitchen.

"I made you some-"

"Chocolates!" Jakotsu picked one up and bit into it, before popping the whole thing in his mouth. "Chocolate covered marshmallows," he said with his mouth full. "My favorite!" he added, after swallowing. The rich bitter taste of the baking chocolate as it combined with sweetness of the marshmallow danced across his tongue. "Thank you so much, Ban honey." He popped another one in his mouth, and as he chewed, he took his life partner by the hand. "I know a guy who's tough but sweet..." he sang as he grabbed a couple of candies on his way out of the kitchen. "He's so fine he can't be beat..." Jakotsu hummed much to his life-partner's amusement. "He's got everything I desire... Sets the summer sun on fire... I want candy! I want candy!" he popped a chocolate covered marshmallow in his mouth and chewed. "I want candy! I want candy!"


	24. Chapter 24: Good Night

Good night (kiss 24)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_Special thanks go out to Jen! I'm having so much fun bouncing ideas off you as it only makes these kisses that much better!_

_Please note that this takes place immediately following the events in _Candy (kiss 23).

888

Jakotsu held his remaining chocolate covered marshmallow in his teeth, bringing his face close to Bankotsu's. He chuckled low in his throat as he tried to position his head at just the right angle to get his life-partner to eat it, ending in a kiss of sorts. Bankotsu knew exactly what the cross-dresser was up to and he playfully moved his head out of the way but he could only move so far with Jakotsu balancing his weight on the smaller man's thighs.

The cross-dresser once again brought his face close to his life-partner's, his sweet chocolate scented breath puffing against Ban's lips from around the candy. This time Bankotsu gave in and tried to take a bite out of the chocolate covered marshmallow. Tilting his head to the side as he closed his eyes, Jakotsu gently eased the marshmallow into the shorter man's mouth. It worked. Bankotsu bit down on it, their lips meeting in a chocolaty kiss.

_Chew... kiss... swallow... kiss... kissing more deeply, tasting the bittersweet remains of the candy as tongue danced with tongue..._

Bankotsu could feel the sugary flavor slide down his throat as their tongues twined together in a deliciously sensual dance. He flopped backwards onto the bed, a low moan rumbling deep within his chest, as he pulled the cross-dresser down on top of him. Jakotsu kissed him, tasting as sinfully indulgent as chocolate, and holding him tight, he rolled them over onto their sides. They lay there, panting lightly, looking each other in the eye in silent communion, each waiting for the other to make the next move. Bankotsu reached up, slowly running the pad of his thumb across his lover's jaw-line. Jakotsu hummed appreciatively, and tilting his head, he gently mouthed the appendage as it skimmed his lips, ever so lightly scraping the sensitive ridges and whorls with his teeth.

Now it was Bankotsu's turn to voice his approval when he felt a warm velvety tongue tease his digit with actions usually reserved for a much lower part of his anatomy. His breath quickened, coming out in short little puffs, as he closed his eyes and tried to control his desire.

"You like?" Jakotsu asked coyly.

Bankotsu opened his eyes and nodded wordlessly.

The cross-dresser continued his ministrations and as he did so, he gave Bankotsu a smoldering look that sent trails of fire straight to his groin. Bankotsu swallowed, fisting the soft cottony folds of Jakotsu's well worn Youkai T-shirt, he moved forward, placing a searing kiss on his life-partner's sweet silky lips.

_Kiss... touch... kiss... hands pulling at clothing... kisses, giggles, chortles and chuckles... wrestling each other... panting... and sheets rolling up into a ball as they sprawled all over the bed..._

Jakotsu straddled Bankotsu's thighs, playfully tugging his braid in the hopes of getting him to sit up. He giggled and yanked a little harder, turning the younger man's face to the side. However it did the trick as Bankotsu had reached out to grab his wrist. Jakotsu pulled his arm upwards and Bankotsu got hint. Letting go, the younger man sat up, kissing him. Bankotsu worked his fingers into the top of Jakotsu's jeans at his sides. The cross-dresser's breath caught in his throat when Bankotsu slowly brought his fingers around to the front. He closed his eyes and let out a little moan of pleasure as the younger man undid the top button of his jeans and reached for his fly.

Jakotsu's hands nimbly fumbled with the buttons on the younger man's shirt. Opening his eyes, he paused just long enough to admire the exposed flesh at the base of his life-partner's throat. He sighed when Bankotsu tickled his stomach as he worked his way under the cross-dresser's t-shirt. Giggling, Jakotsu finished unbuttoning Bankotsu's shirt, massaging his chest as he moved his hands upwards to slide the crisp cotton dress shirt off his shoulders. As he ground his hips into Bankotsu's, the cross-dresser felt a familiar bulge beckoning him.

There was a sense of urgency to Jakotsu's movements as he moved onto his life-partner's pants and an aggression that had Bankotsu lying back, passively enjoying the attention. The younger man chuckled softly when the cross-dresser playfully tugged at his boxers with his teeth, vainly trying to pull them off, before giving up and simply sliding them off. Jakotsu had stripped him naked, except for his shirt, and was gazing hungrily at him. His soft manicured hands ran up the length of the younger man's body as the cross-dresser inched his way up to his former perch across Bankotsu's hips. Leaning forward, Jakotsu kissed him. When he sat up, Bankotsu did so as well, amid the cross-dresser giggles of delight. It took all of the younger man's self-control as he resisted the urge to pull the cross-dresser's well-worn Youkai t-shirt over his head, and he kissed him instead.

Breaking the kiss, Jakotsu did the job himself, neatly tossing it onto the pile of Bankotsu's clothes on the floor. As he moved forward to kiss his life-partner again, Jakotsu rubbed himself suggestively against the younger man's groin. Bankotsu wished the cross-dresser would hurry up and take off his jeans. He had always wanted to take the submissive role in bed, but it never seemed to work out that way with the various men and women he had dated in his life. And every time he and Jakotsu got together in bed, Jakotsu's aggressiveness teased him, and it was beginning to frustrate him. As good as he was in bed; the cross-dresser seemed to be more into foreplay than the actual sex act and this time the younger man wanted him to go farther.

Jakotsu moved reluctantly off him. He stood up and quickly removed his tight well-worn jeans, giving Bankotsu an eyeful of his lucky panties. The cross-dresser shimmied out of them, carefully peeling the filmy red silk over his erection. He slid them slowly down over his thighs, past his knees, letting them drop to the floor, where kicked them off. Picking a sock clad foot up onto the bed; he playfully nudged Bankotsu with his toe. Taking the hint, the younger man pulled it off and tossed it aside. Its mate soon followed. Grinning wickedly, Jakotsu crawled into bed, blanketing his life-partner, their lips meeting in a deep passionate kiss.

"Sweetness...?" Bankotsu whispered between kisses.

"Yes...?"

"I want you in me," he said playfully, yet there was a hint of seriousness in Bankotsu's voice.

The crosser-dresser heard it and frowned. "I can't do that..."

Bankotsu nuzzled his life-partner's cheek, his butterfly kisses as soft and gentle as his breath. "Why not...?" he whispered huskily.

"Because..." Jakotsu replied airily, hoping the matter would drop; he enjoyed having Bankotsu inside him. Besides, the cross-dresser knew from experience just how much it could hurt, sometimes leaving lasting injuries, and the last thing he really wanted to do was cause the younger man that kind of pain. Since he never had the desire to enter anyone in any of his previous relationships he knew he was woefully inexperienced in how to proceed beyond the mechanics of the situation. Jakotsu felt inadequate and the mood was starting to slip away from him. In an attempt to bring it back, he kissed the shorter man deeply, letting his hands wander as he did so.

"But I want you there," Bankotsu insisted. "I want to feel what it's like..." He gently cupped the cross-dresser's cheek "Please...?"

Jakotsu sighed. "Ummm..."

"Please?"

"I don't know, Ban honey... I've never done it that way before."

"No? But you're so aggressive in bed and sometimes I wish you'd follow through."

"I am...?" Jakotsu said softly, sounding very much like this was a new concept to him.

"Yeah. And I like it a lot," Bankotsu said, blushing slightly at the admission.

"You do...?" The cross-dresser swallowed. He suddenly felt nervous under Bankotsu's intense gaze and that left him unsure of what to do. "But ummm..."

"But nothing. And don't give me any crap about being the woman in our relationship." Bankotsu grinned and took his life-partner's half erect member and gently stroked it. "In case you've forgotten, you're just as much of a man as I am."

Jakotsu closed his eyes and sighed. His breathing quickened with each stroke from his life-partner's rough skinned hand. Bankotsu was skillfully inching Jakotsu closer and closer to release. The warmth radiated out from his belly, his stomach muscles tensing for the exact moment when he would no longer be able to hold back. He was panting, and gasping, his face contorting in pleasure, when Bankotsu abruptly stopped. Letting go of him, the younger man rolled over onto his back.

"Ban honey...?" the cross-dresser rasped.

"That's what it feels like when you don't follow through." Bankotsu looked over at him. "Sucks, doesn't it?"

Jakotsu nodded in reply.

"So let's finish what you've started."

_Finish what _I _started? _Jakotsu arched an eyebrow. Softening his gaze, he said, "I just don't want to hurt you..."

"I know, but this is something I've wondered about ever since I kissed my first guy." He rolled over and faced the cross-dresser. "I want you. So quit stalling, and make me happy."

"Since you've put it that way," Jakotsu said huskily. "I'd love to make you happy..." He reached over for the tube of lubricant and hoped for the best.

_Kiss... poke... kiss... fingers covered in cold lube probing his most intimate of places... hesitating... more cold, wet, lube covered fingers finding that spot of pure bliss. Something bigger probing, pushing, slick and wet from the lube... Moaning, giggling, grimaces of pain... pushing, resisting... fearing the loss of control... gaining the upper hand... finding a rhythm... thrusting in and out and in and out. Pain mixing with pleasure, forming a tight ball in one's belly... racing pulses... Panting and grunting... inching slowly towards release... Throbbing and pulsating... a sticky warmth... cold wetness... kissing... kissing more deeply... loving... and being loved..._

888

"You okay, Ban honey?" Jakotsu said softly.

They were lying together in the dark, cuddling in bed, after cleaning up, and getting ready to sleep.

"Yeah. And you?"

Jakotsu replied by giving his life-partner a gentle squeeze. They let the silence drift between them and it was a companionable one, born of similar moments of togetherness.

"Let's not do that again," they chorused. Both chuckled and thought, _You know me too well... _Once again the silence stretched between them until Jakotsu broke it. Tilting his head, he kissed the top of Bankotsu's head and said, "Good night, Ban honey."

"Good night, Sweetness..." Bankotsu sighed softly and contentedly. _Despite a slow start and a few lil problems, it was a very good night indeed..._


	25. Chapter 25: Fence

Fence (kiss 25)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_FYI: Pizza-LA is a real pizzeria in Japan. Italiana is a real item on their menu. So is crab, corn and Italian parsley. Tatsuta mix is a side dish consisting of fried chicken pieces and fried potato sticks. _

_Thank you once again, Jen, for looking it over for me. I really appreciate it!_

888

Jakotsu sat in the living room, staring blankly at the TV. He had no idea if the program he had been watching had ended or not. Not that he cared as his mind was on other things, namely his life-partner. The cross-dresser, who had never really felt loved, had spent a lifetime building a fence around his heart to keep out the hurt. But somehow, a small, dark man with the most amazing blue eyes, found a way in. It was as if Bankotsu had put a gate in that fence and Jakotsu found he liked it. He was smiling contentedly when Bankotsu returned from the kitchen, a cold Kirin in one hand and a cup of tea in the other.

"What happened?"

"You put a gate up... no, you tore down the fence," the cross-dresser said distractedly as he accepted the proffered tea.

"Hunh?"_ Are those pain meds getting to you?_

Jakotsu looked at his life-partner and blinked as if finally noticing his presence. He smiled sheepishly at him while he carefully shifted position. "I was just thinking about how you tore down the fence around my heart. I've always been leery of letting people get close to me," he said seriously.

"But you have a ton of friends." Bankotsu frowned.

"No, Ban honey, I have a ton of acquaintances. I actually have very few friends." He sipped his tea. "And I've had a number of lovers too, but only one love of my life." Jakotsu carefully and slowly leaned over and kissed his life-partner's cheek. "Thank you for breaking down that fence."

_Okay..._ "You're welcome..." Bankotsu lifted his arm to let the cross-dresser settle more comfortably against him. "How's your leg?"

"It's fine, Ban honey. Sui said it's going to hurt for a while as it heals and the pain meds he gave me have been helping. I feel so stupid slipping on your underwear like that." He chuckled ruefully, before finishing his tea and, handing the empty cup to Bankotsu.

"You're just lucky you didn't hit your head on the wall as you went down. You could have had a nasty concussion too." Bankotsu moved his arm up to rest on Jakotsu's shoulder.

"I know." He tried settling in, but could not get comfortable; the pain in his broken leg was making it difficult to fidget. "The only saving grace in the whole sorry affair was that I was still half-dressed. I knew I should have worn my lucky panties that day." They laughed. "I really appreciate you worrying about me, but I'll live. I'm just sorry you don't want to go out to dinner any more because of it," the cross-dresser said softly as he hugged his life-partner.

"Don't worry about it, there's nothing wrong with spending your anniversary at home. Why don't I call Pizza-LA and get a large Italiana?"

"Okay, but why don't you order half Italiana and half whatever it is you like with mayonnaise and corn..."

"Crab and corn with crab sauce. It's the best, Sweetness." Bankotsu chuckled at the face his life-partner made.

"No thanks... Pepperoni and sausage is about as adventurous as I get."

"You want that instead? They'll make it for you."

"No. Honestly, I prefer plain cheese and tomato sauce." _Anything else usually winds up tasting like shit... One of these days, I have to take you to New York for some real pizza. _"Ooh... you know what? I feel like having some of their Tatsuta mix too."

"Okay." Bankotsu reached for the cordless phone. Picking it up, he dialed and placed their order. "It'll be here in a half hour, forty five minutes."

"Good..." the cross-dresser said airily. He closed his eyes and carefully turned his broken leg onto its side. Bankotsu had helped him prop it up on the coffee table but it was starting to get uncomfortable. "Ban honey?"

As if reading his mind, Bankotsu got up and slowly brought Jakotsu's leg over to the couch. After making sure the cross-dresser was fine and not in pain, he sat down next to him.

"Thanks..." Jakotsu said, settling more comfortably into Bankotsu's embrace.

They "watched" the TV in companionable silence while they waited for their anniversary dinner to arrive, each lost in their own thoughts.

Curiosity eating at him, Bankotsu finally asked, "What did you mean before about me tearing down a fence...?"

"Well, ummm... despite being outgoing and knowing a lot of people, there aren't many people I'm close to. It goes without saying that you are one of those people, Ban honey, if that's what you're worried about."

"No, I was just trying to understand you better. That's all."

Jakotsu laughed. "Good luck, cuz I don't even understand myself."

"I guess that it's just that I find it very hard to believe that someone as charming and popular as you are has very few friends."

"Oh... Well, that's because despite being afraid of being hurt and a disappointment to others, I'm an optimist at heart. I keep hoping I'll meet someone who'll like me for me and not because I'm famous or something..."

"Yeah...?"

"Yup." The cross-dresser sighed. "Growing up I've always felt different, besides looking different from most people, I figured it out at puberty that I must be gay. It's hard when your friends go on about so-and-so suddenly losing her kooties and becoming cute, when you look at said friend and think he's cute. I dated a lot of girls in junior and senior high, but never more than a date or two, so I had a reputation as a ladies' man," he laughed, "And yet, all the girls still all wanted to be my friend, even if they couldn't be my girlfriend. I always thought that was odd." He frowned. "Sui once said that's because I was a safe date, one where they could practice their feminine wiles without worrying about leading me on, not that any us of realized that's what we were doing... And then I came here, got into college, disappointed my parents in my choice of a major to the point that after a year, my father refused to pay for my housing and I met Sui. I was just starting to build that 'fence' so he got in pretty easily, although not giving a shit that I was gay, and by then beginning to cross-dress as part of becoming an onnagata, had a lot to do with it."

"Really?"

The cross-dresser nodded. "Yeah... while I had played with make-up before then, that's when I got really serious about it. It was my second semester there, and I got cast in the role as some background princess. I might have had a line or two, I don't remember, but apparently I was so good everyone thought I was a girl and my teachers pushed me in that direction." Jakotsu smiled at the memory. "So I lived the role to help bring me closer to a feminine ideal as so many onnagata before me have done."

"That's nice, but it doesn't really explain a thing, Sweetness."

"No?" Jakotsu sat up too quickly, and he winced at the pain in his leg.

"You okay?"

"Yeah..."

"Anyway, while it's nice to know you've dated girls," Bankotsu teased. "It doesn't explain shit about your fence."

The cross-dresser smiled. "It's the art of misdirection... tell just enough so that someone feels they know me, but not everything. I'm sorry, Ban honey, but it's a hard habit to break. I know you'd never hurt me, but..."

"But the fear of something is hard to get over."

"Yeah..."

Bankotsu sighed. "I know I've said it a million times, Sweetness, but I'm not Naraku."

"I know you aren't, Ban honey, but that was a huge hurt and you came along at a time when it would have been better if you hadn't..." Jakotsu sighed. "And yet, maybe you did come along at the right time. Maybe if you hadn't I'd be fifty and all alone and miserable."

"It's good thing you're not fifty yet cuz you've got me." Bankotsu gave his life-partner's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"I know... and that's exactly why that fence around my heart is coming down. If it wasn't for you, I probably would have wound a lonely old man with a wall instead of a fence around my heart, drifting from one meaningless relationship to the next." Jakotsu smiled impishly. "It really is true what they say..."

"What is?"

"Good things really do come in small packages," the cross-dresser chortled.

"Sweetness! Not another short joke."_ Please tell me it's my height your making fun of and not my package..._

"Sorry... what can I say, I like cute little things," he giggled.

"Yeah...?"

"Yup!" Jakotsu smiled at his life-partner. His eyes went wide when it hit him and he giggled. "You didn't think I meant your umm... hehehehe... ummm... packahahahaha..."

"What?!" The younger man felt his cheeks heating up.

"You did!" Jakotsu chortled. "Hehehehe..."

"Did not!"

"Did too!" The cross-dresser giggled. "I'm sorry if you thought I was insulting your manhood... I mean it too," he said seriously, before having another giggle fit.

"I know it's just the meds talking..."

"Ban honey, you are the best thing that ever happened to me and I'd never hurt you in a million years. And if I could I'd build a fence around your heart with me inside, just so I can selfishly keep you all to myself, I'd do it in a heartbeat..." he trailed off softly, tilting his head to kiss the younger man.

_Me too... _Bankotsu thought as he met him halfway for the kiss.


	26. Chapter 26:If only I could make you min

If only I could make you mine (kiss 26)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple incase you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_FYI: This takes place shortly after the events in _Fence (kiss 25).

_FYI: Tatsuta mix a Pizza-LA side dish consisting of fried chicken and fried potato sticks._

_FYI: The song Ban sings to Jak is _Love of my Life_ by Freddie Mercury. It can be found on the _Night at the Opera_ cd._

888

They were sitting in their dining room, enjoying an impromptu anniversary dinner of take-out pizza. While Jakotsu loved going out on special occasions, he had broken his leg yesterday during a mad dash to the bedroom with Bankotsu. The pain and awkwardness the cross-dresser felt kept them homebound for a change. Not that Bankotsu cared as he preferred to stay home. Jakotsu had now become so well known that they were often disturbed by fans and what had once been mildly annoying, was now highly irritating. Hence the candlelight and good china that contrasted nicely with the large cardboard box the pizza came in along with the foam container of Tatsuta mix.

"You know what?" Jakotsu said as he reached for a piece of fried chicken.

"What?"

"I was thinking I should have had a tuna fish sandwich and a salad." Jakotsu smiled impishly. "And you should be having a bowl of noodles." He giggled.

"Hunh?" Bankotsu stared at the cross-dresser like he had three heads.

"It's what we were eating when we when we first sat down and really talked to each other. It was kind of like an unofficial date, but if you want to get technical, then we should be enjoying some hot wings like we did when we went out on our first official date."

Bankotsu chuckled and shook his head. "Sorry, Sweetness, but all I remember about that day is thinking 'if only I could make you mine.' That and how cute you looked."

Jakotsu looked at him surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah..." the younger man said shyly.

"I remember thinking the same thing. That's why I sort of asked you out. I had a great time sitting there, just chatting with you over lunch, and getting to know you, and when it was time to go back to work, I really didn't want to. I couldn't believe I had said it, but I was very glad when you said you'd join me for dinner that night."

"Me too."

"And I remember our first kiss and the first time I went out on a date with you all dressed up and the first time we were going to have sex..." Jakotsu looked at his life-partner with an annoyed expression on his face that quickly melted into a fond smile.

"Hey! I said I was sorry!" Bankotsu cried in mock indignation. "But you're really good at being a girl," he said ruefully.

"I know..." Jakotsu said smugly. "That's why I got to be pregnant on the show." He leaned towards Bankotsu and said with a wink, "And let me tell you, I'm so glad that's over and done with. I honestly don't know how women do it."

Bankotsu chuckled. "Most women aren't a delicate little flower like you are."

"I suppose so..." the cross-dresser said airily.

"I think that's what first attracted me to you. Even when you walked in as a man," he laughed, "there was something delicate about you that really came out when you were all dressed up for the video. You actually took my breath away as cheesy as that sounds." Bankotsu smiled fondly. "I remember watching you from the shadows, and wishing I was Sessh. The lucky dog got to kiss and romance you and ummm..."

"And make me his..." Jakotsu finished softly. "But that was make-believe, Ban honey. Your patience and your love and your cuteness and those gorgeous blue eyes of yours are what won me over for real. I'm yours no matter how much I kid around with Inu-chan. You know that, right?"

"Yeah... And am I yours?"

"That, Ban honey, goes without saying. I mean, how I be yours if you aren't mine?"

"I don't know," Bankotsu said impishly.

The cross-dresser playfully wagged his finger at him. "Don't give me that crap!"

"I won't." The younger man grinned. "So what crap would you like instead?" he teased.

"Oooh! You're just lucky I have a broken leg or else I would be hauling your ass off to the bedroom to show you exactly how much 'mine' you are!" Jakotsu rolled eyes when Bankotsu stuck out his tongue at him. "You're such a naughty boy, Ban honey..." the cross-dresser purred. "And I like it."

"You do, hunh?" The younger man grinned wickedly.

"Yeah..." Jakotsu trailed off softly. "But please don't start anything we can't finish."

Bankotsu looked rather disappointed at the thought of spending the evening doing nothing more than watching TV and it tore the cross-dresser's heart.

"I'm sorry, Ban honey. I wish I could, but I can't even get comfortable in bed to sleep, let alone do anything else," he said sadly.

The younger man reached over and took the cross-dresser's hand. Bringing it up to his lips, Bankotsu kissed his fingers. "Don't worry about it. It's all my fault anyway."

"No it's not. I should have been paying more attention to what I was stepping on."

Bankotsu nodded. "I guess so," he conceded. "But who knew my boxers would turn out to be so slippery?" the younger man quipped.

Jakotsu laughed. "Exactly! Although, if you had said 'saunter' instead of 'dash' I might have gotten off with just a twisted ankle, but then again who knows?" he said impishly.

"I know... let's make a date to spend the day in bed the minute you get your cast off."

"You've got a date, Ban honey!" The cross-dresser smiled happily at him. "I just remembered, I've got your anniversary present hidden in my closet. I'm sorry, but you're going to have to go get it yourself."

"I'll get it when we're done, Sweetness." When Jakotsu frowned he added, "What's wrong?"

"I just realized I can't help you clean up here or wash the dishes. Damn it! I hate feeling so helpless!" The cross-dresser tiredly rubbed his forehead.

"It's okay," Bankotsu soothed. "I don't mind pampering you for the next eight weeks."

"You don't?" Jakotsu said softly. Picking up a piece of chicken, he nibbled on it daintily.

"Nope..." the younger man grinned. "I guess this is part of the way we make each other ours... if that makes any sense?"

"Yeah... it does. You know I'd do the same for you in a heartbeat."

Bankotsu nodded and ate a bite of his pizza. "Although, I'd probably make you crazy." He chuckled. "You think you hate feeling helpless, you haven't seen me in action."

Jakotsu laughed. "Are you asking me to break your leg as soon as mine is better? I don't know about you, but sixteen weeks is too long a dry spell for me. My balls are shriveling up, just thinking about it," he teased.

"Scratch that idea."

"Will do." The cross-dresser sighed as he toyed with his potato sticks.

"Now what's the matter?"

"I'm full, although I could find room for dessert."

"Shit! I forgot about that."

"It's okay, Ban honey. I don't need the extra calories."

"You sure?"

"Yeah..."

"Then I'll put you back on the sofa and clean up, and no buts about it. We made a promise to each other seven years ago that we would look after each other in good times and bad. And well, I guess this is a bad time. Plus I figure you can always repay me by doing my laundry once you're back on your feet again," he teased.

"Hey! I always do your laundry. It's about time you did mine." Jakotsu laughed. "Oh hell! We sound like an old married couple."

"Sweetness, for all intents and purposes we are an old married couple."

The cross-dresser laughed until he grabbed his right thigh and eased his broken leg off the dining room chair. "Damn that hurts! I think my pain meds are wearing off," he said tiredly. "Can you hand me my crutches, Ban honey?"

"Sure..." the younger man said as he stood up to do as he was bidden.

Minutes later, the cross-dresser was lying on the sofa, waiting for his pain medication to start working. As much as Bankotsu wanted to hover over him and make a fuss, he left Jakotsu alone while he cleaned up the remains of their anniversary dinner.

888

"Sweetness, you shouldn't have!" Bankotsu called out from the bedroom, after finding the gift Jakotsu got him.

"I know! But I wanted to!" the cross-dressed replied from the living room. He could hear his life partner moving around their bedroom, followed by Bankotsu's soft footsteps that grew steadily louder as he came back, guitar case in hand.

"How did you...?" Bankotsu said as he set the case down and took out the guitar.

"I had a lil help from Sessh. I was so mad when I heard someone broke into your office and stole your guitar. You have no idea how close I came to hopping a train, and coming back to help you clean up."

"Yeah?"

"Yup!"

"Well, thankfully that's all they got besides some easily replaceable studio equipment. All the important stuff was locked up and they couldn't get to it. I guess that's why they trashed the place and stole my guitar."

"It wasn't right, but I don't want to talk it. It's making my head and leg throb," Jakotsu said testily. Softening his tone, he added, "Will you play something for me?"

"What do you want to hear?" Bankotsu asked as he tuned the guitar.

"I don't know..."

The younger man strummed the guitar and Jakotsu laughed. "This song is just so you... You sure you never met Freddie-san?" Bankotsu teased.

"Quite sure, although me and Sui tried."

The younger man shook his head and sang, "Love of my life... you've hurt me... you've broken my heart and now you leave me... Love of my life can't you see... Bring it back, bring back don't take it away from me, because you don't know... What it means to me..." He played a few more bars of the song. "Ooh, back, hurry back... please bring it back home to me because you don't know... what it means to me... Love of my life... Love my life..."

"Ooh, ooh... yeah..." Jakotsu sang. "Thank you!" He clapped.

"You're welcome. And that reminds me, I need to go next door and get your present. You'll be okay for a few minutes?"

"Yeah... So what'd you get me? Flowers?"

"No..." Bankotsu said mysteriously. "But I know you'll like it as much as I love this." He got up and carefully put his new guitar back in its case. "Be back in a few. Just let the phone ring if anyone calls."

"I wasn't planning on getting it as by the time I finally get up whoever it was would have hung up anyway."

Bankotsu came over and kissed him. "Bye!" he said and with that he hurried next door. He returned about ten minutes later, during which time the cross-dresser had started to doze off. Bankotsu, clutching a tiny bundle of calico fur, knelt next to his life partner. "Sweetness, I'm back..." he said softly. "Sweetness?"

"Hunh?" the cross-dresser said groggily.

"Wake up, I'm here with your present, but it can't wait until later. Wake up, Sweetness."

Jakotsu half groaned, half sighed as he opened his eyes.

"Mew..."

"You got me a kitten...?" Jakotsu said sleepily, although his eyes were starting to well up with tears as he struggled to wake up. "Thank you so much, Ban honey..." he said when his life-partner put the ball of fluff on his chest. The cross-dresser gently rubbed his finger on the kitten's cheek.

"You're welcome..."_I'm so glad that "if only I could make you mine..." became "I'm happy you _are_ mine..." _

When the cross-dresser yawned, Bankotsu picked up the kitten and said, "Why don't you sleep for a bit, Sweetness, you can always play with the kitty when you get up."

"Mmmmokay..."

The younger man looked at the kitten and smiled. "Come," he said softly as he picked her up. "Let's go make some tea and I'll tell you a story about a certain cross-dresser and how I made a wish about making him mine and how it really did come true..."


	27. Chapter 27: Overflow

Overflow (kiss 27)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple in case you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_FYI: This takes place about an hour or two after the events in _If only I could make you mine (kiss 26).

_FYI: Nekozawa is a character from Ouran High School Host club, which is one of the anime series Jakotsu likes to watch. So is Beelzenef._

_FYI: According to the dollars to yen converter I used on Dec. 28, 2007(when I wrote this), 903 yen is about 8. (It would be 903.44 yen to be exact)_

888

Bankotsu sat in the living room, softly strumming his new guitar, while watching his life-partner sleep. The new kitten was happily playing with his bare foot, as he quietly tapped out the rhythm to the song he was playing. "Hey!" he whispered when the little calico pounced and sank her claws into the younger man's toe. "Do you mind? In case you don't know it, I'm the one who buys the cat food around here. And'll be the one who'll keep you company when he's gone..." Bankotsu sighed. Setting his guitar aside, he bent down and picked up the kitten. "You see in this family, your mother goes off to work in Kyoto while I stay home. And when she gets back, I'll go off to work. Truthfully, I would have moved my offices to Kyoto a long time ago, but your mother has this thing for Shibuya..." He smiled ruefully as he tickled the kitten's ear.

"Ban honey," Jakotsu said sleepily. "Who you talking to?"

"Tama. Why? Did I wake you?"

"No... who's Tama?"

"Your cat."

"Ban honey, I don't have a cat named Tama... if I had a cat I wouldn't name it Tama either..." The cross-dresser yawned.

"Well, that's her name for now until you come up with a better one."

"Stupid name for a cat..." the cross-dresser muttered under his breath when it hit him. Painfully pushing himself upright, he said, "You got me a cat...?"

"Yeah..."

"Thanks..." Jakotsu's eyes welled up with tears. He sniffed a few times. "I thought I had dreamt that..."

"Sweetness? Don't tell me you're crying. I thought you wanted a cat...?"

"I do... it's just so sweet of you to give me one..." Jakotsu started to cry.

Bankotsu got up and came over to him. He carefully sat down on the edge of the sofa. Handing the kitten to his life-partner, Bankotsu put his arms around Jakotsu. "Sssh..." he soothed. "Don't cry, Sweetness, it's just a cat."

"I know..." he blubbered. "It's like all the love," he sobbed, "I feel for you... is overflowing out my heart..." Jakotsu hiccupped. "When I think of all the crap I put you through, and all the awful things I've said in the past... and you still love me..." he wailed. "I love you so much..."

"Sssh... I know you love me and I love you and there's no need to cry, Sweetness..." Bankotsu kissed the top of his head. "You're just having a reaction to your meds. Did you wait four hours like you were supposed to?"

Jakotsu nodded. "But that has nothing to do with it..." he bawled. "I'm just very happy you love me..."

"Okay... How about I go make you some tea while you, uh, play with Tama or Baby or whatever you want to call her." Bankotsu pulled away from the cross-dresser.

Jakotsu wiped the tears on his face. "Okay..." he said softly. "And her name is 'Afrureru.'"

"'Overflowing?' Are you sure you don't want me to call Sui?" The cross-dresser nodded in reply and when he looked like he was about to start crying again, Bankotsu quickly added, "Okay! I promise I won't if you promise to stop blubbering." He grinned. "Are you sure you're not pregnant?" the younger man teased.

Jakotsu laughed through his tears. "No..." he sniffed, and taking a deep ragged breath, he slowly let it out.

"Feeling better?"

"Yeah..."

Bankotsu held up a hand. "Good. I'm still going to make some tea though."

"Okay."

The younger man paused. "Are you sure you're okay? I haven't seen you this emotional since that time you got drunk off your ass," he chuckled.

The cross-dresser frowned. "Oh hell, don't remind me. My head hurts just thinking about it."

"I think I'll call Sui anyway. You could be having a reaction to your pain meds."

"Alright... Maybe he's got something else to give me." Jakotsu winced when his life-partner stood up. "Better yet, ask him if he can put me in a coma for eight weeks. I don't think I'm going to last eight days if I don't get some relief."

"Will do," Bankotsu said, humoring him. He was more worried than he let on as the cross-dresser was not this bad yesterday. _Then again, he was probably still doped up from the morphine they used to set his leg... And yet, he shouldn't be this bad with all the pills he's been popping today... _After checking to see that Jakotsu would be okay alone with the kitten, he headed towards the kitchen.

888

"Hey, Sui."

"_Hey, Ban. What's wrong?"_

"I'm worried about Jak. He's been complaining off and on all day about his leg bothering him and I don't think he's waiting long enough before taking his meds again. He was blubbering before when I gave him the cat."

"_I see... Have you tried wrapping an ice bag in a towel and putting that on it?"_ the pediatrician said. _"As for blubbering, you know as well as I do that Jak's very sentimental and you told me he's asked you a few times about getting a cat. If he's that emotional, I'd say you got the perfect gift."_

"You think?"

"_Yeah..."_

"Oh good," Bankotsu said, the relief clearly heard in his voice.

"_You know, if you two hadn't been so rambunctious yesterday, you could be having a lot more fun,"_ he chuckled.

"Don't remind me..." Bankotsu said ruefully. "So an ice bag'll help?"

"_Yes. I'll be by tomorrow to see him. Oh and, Ban?"_

"What?"

"_Happy anniversary. Here's to seven years and seven more."_

"Thanks. Bye, Sui."

"_Good night, Ban."_

888

Jakotsu looked at the bundle of fluff and sighed. "You know, now that I've taken a good look at you, you don't look like an 'Afrureru.' You look more like a 'Senjo,' a little fairy."

"Mew?"

Jakotsu ran his hand lightly over the kitten's back and she arched into it appreciatively, shaking her tail as he lifted his hand. "You like that, hunh?" He stroked her back again.

"Mew."

"Sweet lil fairy..." Jakotsu said softly. "I just hope I don't wake up and you're gone as that would suck royally."

"Mew?" Senjo batted a paw at his wriggling fingers.

"Yeah... and thank you so much for opening my heart." He tickled under the kitten's chin. "It gets so full of love for my Ban honey that I get afraid it'll burst. But you were just enough to overflow it and let all that love come rushing out." Jakotsu sighed softly.

"Mew?"

"I'm sorry, I'm just very tired, I think it's my pain meds knocking me out... and my leg hurts too, so I think I'll go back to sleep. Just promise me you'll be here, Senjo-chan, when I wake up..." Jakotsu yawned, and closing his eyes, he leaned back against the pillows.

"Mew..."

888

Bankotsu opened the cabinet and reached for the tea when he spotted the can of cocoa. Taking it out, he decided to make his life-partner of cup of that instead. He added two spoonfuls to the cross-dresser's favorite mug, and sighing softly, he added some more water to the kettle. Setting it on the stove, he turned it on. While he waited for the water to boil, he let his thoughts drift to Jakotsu.

There was something about the cross-dresser's outburst that bothered him. It was not the unexpectedness of it, or the words he had said that had upset Bankotsu. It was the feeling he had that despite everything they had been through and all the times he had said it that Jakotsu seemed to find it odd that Bankotsu loved him. It was as if the cross-dresser saw himself as so unlovable that the mere idea of someone actually loving him was unbelievable. And it left the younger man with a bitterness that threatened to overflow into anger. So wrapped up was he in his anger and annoyance at the hand life dealt to Jakotsu, that it was several minutes before he realized that not only was the kettle whistling, but the cross-dresser was worriedly calling his name.

"I'm okay, Sweetness. I was just thinking about something," Bankotsu called out to him as he switched the stove off and picked up the kettle. It whistled angrily at him as he carried it over to the waiting mug.

"Oh... I thought something happened to you."

"Sorry if I upset you," the younger man said while he poured water into the mug. Bankotsu stirred the cocoa, after setting the kettle back on the stove. Dropping the spoon in the sink, he walked to the fridge and took out the milk, adding just enough to cool the hot chocolate down enough to drink, without making it too cold. It was hard not to bang about the kitchen because by now Bankotsu had worked himself up into quite a fury. A handful of marshmallows later, Bankotsu had enough control over his emotions to calmly bring the cocoa over to his life-partner and pretend nothing was wrong.

"Here you go," Bankotsu said as he set the cup down on the coffee table. "I'm afraid you're gonna have to come with me, Afrureru," he said to the kitten when he picked her up.

"Her name's Senjo. I've decided she doesn't look like an 'Afrureru.'"

"Fairy, hunh? But she doesn't look like a fairy." The younger man put the calico on the floor where she scampered off after her toy mouse.

"No? What's she look like?" Jakotsu said wearily as he sat up to take the cocoa his life-partner handed to him.

"I don't know... Fluffy?"

"Nah... she doesn't like a Fluffy even though she is rather fluffy..." Jakotsu sipped his cocoa.

"Princess?"

The cross-dresser shook his head.

Bankotsu rattled off several other names. "Spike?"

"Better... Oh, I know," Jakotsu said smugly.

"What?"

"Nekozawa. You know, after that character in Ouran High School Host Club."

Bankotsu laughed. He was pleased to see the cross-dresser was getting back to his old self. "I know who he is; didn't we spend this morning watching it? But don't you think 'Beelzenef' is a better name?"

"No... I just like the way Nekozawa rolls off the tongue, that's all," Jakotsu said impishly.

The younger man shook his head. "Now that the cat's name is settled, how's your leg?"

"It still hurts like a bitch if you must know." The cross-dresser sipped his cocoa. "So what did Sui say?"

"He said to try an ice bag on it."

"I'm willing to try anything at this point."

"Okay, give me a sec' and I'll go make you one." Bankotsu turned and walked back into the kitchen. Jakotsu heard him angrily banging the ice trays. _I hope you're not mad you're waiting on me... If it didn't hurt so much, I'd get up and do it myself... _When Bankotsu returned, he said softly, "I'm sorry..."

"Why are you sorry?"

"I'm sorry I made you mad because you have to do everything for me."

"I'm not mad."

"But you are mad, Ban honey. It's like you're walking around with a big sign over your head that says, 'pissed to no end.'"

The younger man laughed humorlessly. "You're right; I am pissed, but not at you. I'm just pissed at all the people in your life that made you feel so unlovable."

"Oh..."

"Jakotsu... Sweetness, you're the most lovable person I know. I just wish I knew how to show you..." he trailed off softly, trying hard to sift through his jumble of overflowing emotions, as he struggled to find the right words to express it.

Jakotsu looked up at him, his eyes welling up with tears again. "Thank you..."

Bankotsu looked back at him and nodded.

"Now go take a walk around the block or something."

"What are you trying to do? Get rid of me?"

"No, Ban honey, I'm just trying to channel your anger. You look like you want to punch something and while I don't mind if you put a hole in the wall, I will mind if you break your hand doing it. How you going to clean the litter box if your hand's all messed up?" he said impishly.

The younger man laughed for real this time. "Will do, but only if we can deal with your self esteem issues another time." He set the ice bag down on Jakotsu's leg.

"Sure, now go." Jakotsu waved him away.

"Why are you in such a big hurry to get rid of me?"

"Now who has the self esteem issues?" the cross-dresser quipped. "Seriously, I have ulterior motives."

"Yeah?"

"Chocolate ice cream," Jakotsu said simply.

The younger man chuckled and heaved a long suffering sigh. "Okay, I'll go down to corner and get you a pint."

"Thanks... You're the best, Ban honey."

"No, you are, Sweetness."_ You've certainly made my life more interesting..._ "You sure you and Nekozawa," Bankotsu chuckled at the name, "are going to be alright by yourselves?"

"You're only going to be gone for what...? Ten, fifteen minutes? I think we can manage." Jakotsu smiled.

The younger man grinned. "I take it the pain meds finally kicked in?"

"Yeah... and the ice helped too."

"Good..." Bankotsu murmured softly, and leaning over, he kissed his life-partner on the cheek. "Be back in a few."

"I'll be here when you get back, Ban honey."

"Bye..."

888

Bankotsu stormed down the street. He was still so upset about all the people in Jakotsu's life who had ever made him miserable that it showed as he stomped into the corner store. Nodding curtly at the cashier when she greeted him, he made his way to the frozen food section, missing her concerned look.

He stood in front of the various ice cream brands and flavors, trying to find the cross-dresser's favorite, when he spotted it. Grinning happily, he opened the case and took out a pint. On his way out, he grabbed a bottle of chocolate sauce. Bankotsu waited in line patiently and by the time he got to the cashier he was feeling better.

"Is everything okay, Kusao-san?" she asked as she rang up the items.

"Yes, Kimi-san. Why do you ask?"

"Well, you ummm... well," Kimi said softly as she put the ice cream in a bag along with the chocolate sauce.

"I ran in here all upset," Bankotsu finished for her. "And Jak isn't here."

She nodded.

"And I just bought him his favorite ice cream." He sighed. "Everything is fine, Kimi-san. It's simply our anniversary."

"Oh... Congratulations, Kusao-san," Kimi said, beaming happily at him. "It must be so nice to have someone special like that. You have no idea how all us girls look up to you as the shining example of a perfect relationship. Rika-san and I wish we could be as lucky in love as you two."

"You two are very pretty," Bankotsu flirted and she giggled. "I'm sure there are plenty of guys who come in here just to see you."

"You think so?" Kimi asked as her thoughts drifted to the cute guy who came every Tuesday to restock the shelves. _Ueda-san always makes a point to talk to me afterwards. I wonder if he likes me... _"I'm sorry, Kusao-san, what did you say?"

"I asked how much I owed you."

"Oh..." she blushed. "That'll be nine hundred and three yen, please."

Bankotsu paid her, and grabbing the bag, he bid her good night and headed home. As he walked along the mostly empty street, he realized that the love he and Jakotsu had for each other overflowed into the lives of others. Suikotsu had finally got up the nerve to ask his boyfriend Renkotsu to move in and share their lives together. Even Naraku settled down and became devoted to his wife, Kikyou, to the point where he only went out if she wanted to. Jakotsu told him that Watanabe finally proposed to his girlfriend, Kanna, after she passed the "Kirara test." The Nishi brothers, especially Sesshomaru, became like the brothers they never had, something Jakotsu loved. And now they had another life to share that love with in little Nekozawa.

Dropping his keys as he approached their apartment building, Bankotsu knelt down to pick them up when he spotted a pair of glowing golden orbs deep within the shadows under the azaleas. _What the...?_ He peered intently under the bushes as the shadows took shape.

"Pss, pss, pss"... he said softly when he realized it was a cat.

"MEOW!" the owner of the yellow eyes spat.

Bankotsu quickly stood up. "Sorry..." He started to walk away when he felt a sharp set of claws dig into the back of his leg. "Hey!" Bankotsu looked down to see a small tuxedo cat hanging on to him. "That's my leg you've got there." He glared at the little ball of black and white fur.

"MERRROW!" the kitten howled. Satisfied that he had Bankotsu's attention, he let go and rubbed against the young man's bare leg.

"Sorry, but we already have a cat," Bankotsu said and he continued on his way, heedless of the fact that the tuxedo stray was following him. Silent and stealthy like a four legged ninja, the little cat dogged his heels and made it all the way to his apartment door before Bankotsu spotted him again. "I told you before, we already have a cat. She's cute and fluffy and probably has had twenty new names by now."

"YEOW!"

"Scat!" Bankotsu stamped his sandaled foot.

The little black and white cat pounced, sinking his claws into Bankotsu's bare toes.

"SHIT!" he swore and shook his foot, trying to dislodge the cat without hurting him. But the little cat had other ideas and hung on for dear life. "Okay, you win!" Bankotsu said after a few minutes of fruitless foot-shaking. Besides, he was worried the ice cream was starting to melt and worse yet, Jakotsu hobbling out to try and find him. "You can stay until we find your parents. But if you so much as hiss at Nekozawa or whatever her name is, you're out on your ass. Understood?"

"Meow."

Bankotsu slowly opened the door and before he could do anything, the little black and white cat rushed inside.

"MEOW!" he roared like a pint-sized lion.

"Ban honey? You okay?"

"Yeah..." the younger man replied as he kicked off his sandals and headed up out genkan into the kitchen. "I want to put the ice cream in the freezer for a few minutes."

"Okay... Was that a cat I heard?"

"Yeah... he kind of followed me home."

"He did? Are you going to keep him? I think it would fun if we each had our own cats."

"I don't know... he probably belongs to someone."

"Oh..." the cross-dresser said disappointedly. "He's not going to hurt, Nekozawa, is he?"

"I don't think so. He's not much bigger than she is," Bankotsu said as he exited the kitchen, the little cat trailing along behind him.

Nekozawa daintily sauntered over to see what the fuss was. "Mew?"

"MEOW!" The little tuxedo cat slowly moved closer to her and they stared at each other, barely a whisker's length apart. Bankotsu was ready to grab him in case he started trouble, but things went smoothly when Nekozawa rubbed her cheek against his. She turned and scampered into the living room, the little stray following close behind.

"Awe... isn't that cute?" Jakotsu gushed as the kittens played with each other. "So what are you going to call him or her?"

"I think it's a 'him.' And he did a number on my toes too, not to mention the back of my leg."

"Go clean up before you get an infection or something. The last thing we need is you hobbling around too." The cross-dresser shooed him away.

"Yes, Haha-ue," Bankotsu teased and his life-partner rolled his eyes at him. Chuckling softly, he headed into the bathroom to wash up.

"So what are you going to call him?" Jakotsu called out from the living room.

"Tama!"

"He doesn't look like a Tama!"

"What?" Bankotsu said when he entered the living room. "Anyway if you must call him something, I was thinking of Ryu, he's bit like a little dragon."

"Perfect!"

"Perfect?" Bankotsu asked.

"Yeah... his name's 'Banryu.' He's a stray, so I guess you could call him a lil barbarian and he is most definitely a dragon. Look at him pounce! I just hope he doesn't teach Nekozawa how to climb curtains."

"I think that's Kirara's job..." Bankotsu said dryly. "So I've got my own cat now, hunh?"

"Yup... I figure there's enough love overflowing around here for one more. Besides, being an only child sucks. It's nice having a sibling."

"That's true," the younger man said as he thought about growing up with his cousins.

"So welcome to the family, Banryu..." Jakotsu said. "I hope you and Nekozawa-chan grow up to be the best of friends."

"Yeah..." _Or lovers... wait, scratch that. The last thing we need around here are more kittens..._


	28. Chapter 28: Wada Calcium DC3

Wada Calcium CD3 (kiss 28)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple in case you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_FYI: This takes place the day after the events in _Overflow (kiss 27).

_FYI: Wada Calcium CD3 is a brand of calcium pills._

_FYI: Goza is a quaint fishing village that is known for its beautiful beach. The waves are so gentle as to be almost nonexistent._

_FYI: A minshuku is a private home that offers lodging for travelers._

_Thanks again to Jen for making this fic all nice and shiny! _

888

"Oh hi, Ren," Jakotsu said as he lounged on the sofa, in his underwear, half-heartedly fanning himself. "Want to sign my cast?"

"Sure, why not?" Renkotsu said, suppressing a chuckle. He walked over to his lover's best friend, and kneeling, he took the marker the cross-dresser handed him and scribbled his name on the pink cast.

"Thanks," they chorused, followed by a "you're welcome."

Renkotsu got up and sat down in one of the two chairs that flanked the sofa. "So how'd you do that?" he asked.

Jakotsu giggled. "I fell…" he said vaguely.

"How'd you do that?"

"I slipped in the hallway…"

"On what?" Renkotsu probed. He had the feeling it was going to be a good explanation, after noticing the delicate blush that dusted Jakotsu's cheeks.

"Ban'sunderwear…" the cross-dresser mumbled.

"What?"

"Ban's underwear," he repeated more slowly.

"What the hell were Ban's shorts doing in the hallway…" Renkotsu trailed off slowly when it hit him. "You didn't… I mean you weren't… Only you…" he chuckled.

The cross-dresser giggled. "You should have seen Ban…hehehe… stark naked and fading fast…hehehe…" he tittered.

"No! My poor brain cells! Hahahaha!"

"Your poor brain cells, what about my poor dignity? HAHAHAHAHA! You weren't hehehehe flat out on your back…HAHAHAHA…. in a black lacy bra and panties…hehehehe!!"

They laughed loudly at the cross-dresser's predicament.

"It wouldn't have happened, Jak. I don't own any bras or panties." Renkotsu chuckled. "Never have hahaha… never will."

888

"At least he's not crying again," Bankotsu said softly as he made some tea.

"I told you that's the pain meds. I think the dosage might be a bit high for him, so he's really and truly feeling no pain." Suikotsu's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Just watch him so he doesn't accidentally OD on them," he added seriously.

"He's high?"

"Yup."

"Oh hell!" the younger man swore.

"He'll be okay as long as you keep to every four hours. Five or six would be better, but don't forget they nearly had to take him into surgery to set it. A little lower and they would have."

"Don't remind me. He was so out of it, I thought I was going to have to leave him there for a couple of days."

"At least he slept well that night."

"He didn't do too badly last night either."

"So then maybe we can start weaning him off the pain meds and onto to Tylenols," the pediatrician said.

"I don't know… he's gets really crazy when they wear off."

"Then we'll leave him as is for a while. And I think it would be a good idea if you upped his calcium intake. He tolerates milk pretty well, so give him homemade milk tea, ice-cream, yogurt and these too." Suikotsu took a bottle of calcium pills out of his pocket and handed him to Ban.

Bankotsu read the label. "Wada Calcium CD three…?"

"Yeah. They're one of the best brands out there. While it's better to get the calcium from food, especially dairy, most people can't tolerate it, so these really help. If his leg doesn't heal properly, he's going to need surgery, Ban."

The younger man tiredly rubbed his forehead. "Please, Sui, I don't want to think about that."

The pediatrician nodded. "The tea ready? Here, let me slice the yokan for you." He took the thick jellied dessert and cut it into slices.

"Yeah. Thanks, Sui."

"You're welcome," he said as he arranged the slices onto plates along with some orange wedges.

888

"Hey, Ren…"

"Yeah?"

"Can you go see what's taking them so long? I'm thirsty," the cross-dresser whined.

"Okay…" Renkotsu got up to do as he was bidden.

"Just don't get lost like they did and watch out you don't step on Nekozawa!"

"Who?"

"Nekozawa, she's my cat." Jakotsu sighed pathetically. "Can you bring her to me?"

"Sure why not?" He bent down to pick up the little tuxedo kitten, who was busy "killing" a catnip mouse, and got the shock of his life when he sank his claws in the bald man's hand.

"MERRROOW!" Banryu spat.

"What the hell?!"

"Oh, I see you met Banryu. He's Ban's cat," the cross-dresser smirked. "He's very sweet, isn't he?"

Nekozawa came out from under the sofa to see what all the fuss was about. She sauntered over to Banryu and started grooming him.

"Awe… isn't she sweet! Look at how cute that is! She's kissing him!" Jakotsu gushed.

"Uh, yeah… Jak, I'm going to see where Ban keeps the Band-Aids. You watch the cats for me, okay?"

"Okay…" the cross-dresser said airily.

Heaving a mental sigh, Renkotsu headed towards the kitchen.

888

"Ban, where do you keep the Band-Aids?"

"What happened, Ren?" Suikotsu asked with concern, seeing the blood welling up in the scratches.

"I see you've met Banryu," Bankotsu said smugly. "I'll go get them for you." He left the kitchen and went to the hall bathroom.

"Yup and thanks," Renkotsu said as Suikotsu tended his scratches.

"Thankfully they're not that deep. What did you do to the cat?"

"I didn't do anything to that cat except try and pick it up for Jak. Since when does Ban have a cat anyway? I thought Ito-san only had one kitten left."

"That's what she told me over the phone when I called."

"Maybe someone brought him back."

"Maybe…"

"Here," Bankotsu said when he returned, handing a Band-Aid to the pediatrician.

"What made you decide to get two cats?"

Bankotsu grinned. "He followed me home."

Renkotsu laughed. "Yeah right! Thanks Sui."

"Seriously. I dropped my keys and there he was under the azaleas. I called him out, he nicely said hello and then got pissed when I told him I already had a cat. Scratched the hell out my leg too and my foot. But he settled in nicely and Nekozawa likes him and so does Jak, although he'd probably like any mangy old thing that vaguely looked like a cat. So, that's how we got two cats."

"I see," Suikotsu said. "And as long as you're happy with it, then why not. And maybe when she gets big enough, he'll bring her to Kyoto."

"Oh and uh, speaking of Jak, do you know your girlfriend's stoned off her ass?" Renkotsu chuckled.

"Yeah…" Bankotsu said as he tried not to laugh.

"I was wondering why he was dressed in his underwear, but once he opened his mouth…"

"He removed all doubt. You're lucky he's in a good mood right now. Last night he started crying for no reason." The younger man sighed. "It's only been two days but it's been a _long_ two days."

"He'll be fine once he's off the pain medication, Ban. You'll see."

"I know, Sui. It's just that I don't know if I can wait that long."

Before Suikotsu could reply, the cross-dresser called out from the living room, "Ban honey! Sui, Ren! Where are you? Where's my tea, Ren? I'm thirsty!"

"Coming, Sweetness!"

888

"Listen to me, Jak," Suikotsu said patiently. "I want you, starting tomorrow, to take four of these with breakfast and four with dinner. Right now I want you to take eight." He shook eight of the calcium tablets into his hand, holding out his hand for the cross-dresser to take them.

"Eight? Why can't I take four now and four later?" Jakotsu eyed the tablets in his hand.

"Because the dosage calls for eight at once on the first day. They're just calcium tablets to help your leg heal. And the sooner you start taking them the better it'll be for your leg. June is nearly over and you've got July and most of August to get through. It's not going to be fun with a cast on your leg for one thing," the pediatrician started to explain. "And for another, if it doesn't heal properly, you could be facing another four to six weeks in a cast plus surgery. Unless you don't mind going back to work in a cast, although, I doubt you're going to enjoy the train ride back to Kyoto with it on."

The cross-dresser blinked and looked at the tablets sitting in his hand. "Can someone please hand me my tea?" he asked sweetly.

888

Later that evening, Bankotsu helped the cross-dresser get comfortable on the sofa after his last trip to the bathroom for night. Their apartment felt hot and muggy, the softly falling rain outside bringing no relief from the heat of the day. To make matters worse, they were afraid to run the floor fan at night because of the kittens. He leaned over and kissed the cross-dresser goodnight, drawing the thin cotton sheet over him, before turning off the lights. Crawling in the futon he had laid out on the living room floor, Bankotsu settled in for the night.

"Ban honey…?" Jakotsu whispered in the darkness.

"Yeah?" the younger man replied equally as softly.

"You think those pills Sui gave me will help?"

"They can't hurt."

"You think I'll get my cast off in August?"

"I hope so."

"Good, cuz I wanted to go to the beach with you. Remember how we went away for the weekend last year on our anniversary?"

"Yeah…" Bankotsu smiled at the memory. "We can still go Goza and rent a minshuku if you want. I'd be afraid to go somewhere else with a lot of waves."

"Me too… It sounds like fun. I'd like to go even if I still have my cast on."

"I don't know, Sweetness, it's not exactly the easiest place to get to. We have to take the train and then there's a ferry. Plus you don't want sand in your cast."

"Oh… Well, maybe next year."

"Yeah… Good night, Sweetness. Sleep well."

"You too, Ban honey."_ I hope these stupid pills work, Sui… My Ban honey could really use a nice vacation after all we went through… _


	29. Chapter 29: The sound of waves

The sound of waves (kiss 29)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple in case you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_FYI: This takes place about two months after the events in _Wada Calcium CD3 (kiss 28).

_Thanks again, Jen, for polishing this!! And a special extra big thanks for suggesting the dog... ; p_

888

_Two days earlier..._

"That's it, Jak." Suikotsu separated his cast. "I've called and made an appointment for you to start physical therapy tomorrow," the pediatrician said as he examined the cross-dresser's leg, checking the range of motion in his ankle. "Any pain?"

"Nope! Those stupid pills really helped." Jakotsu grinned. "Now what's all this about physical therapy? You said I was better."

"You are to a degree, but your muscles have atrophied somewhat from the forced inactivity. Physical therapy will bring them back to where they were before the accident. Think about it, you spend long hours on your feet at work and you're going to have to relearn how to walk again without a limp."

"I don't limp!" Jakotsu said indignantly.

"Sorry, Sweetness, But Sui's right, the last two weeks you were limping."

"That's because it's hard walking in a cast."

Suikotsu sighed. "That's exactly why you need it. Plus I don't want you getting arthritis in you hip or knee for that matter."

"But Ban is taking me to the beach tomorrow to celebrate. We're going to spend a couple of days there, relaxing."

Suikotsu looked to Bankotsu for an explanation.

"We're going to Goza. The waves are practically nil, Sui, so we don't have to worry about him hurting himself that way."

"And the sand should help exercise my leg," the cross-dresser added. _At least I hope so..._

"Fine, but I want you to take it easy, Jak. Otherwise you could be delaying your return to work by another eight weeks if you wind up re-injuring yourself..."

888

"What are you doing?" Bankotsu asked as he walked over to his life-partner.

Jakotsu stood there, up to his ankles in the clear emerald water. "Ssh..." he said. "I'm listening for the sound of waves."

"But there aren't any waves, Sweetness."

"Yes there are, they're just really small so they're had to see or hear for that matter." The cross-dresser smiled. "Thanks, Ban honey, for talking Sui into letting me go."

"You're welcome. So how's your leg holding up?"

"It's fine," he lied. _I'm a lil sore and tired from walking on the sand, but I wouldn't miss being here with you for the world..._ "Although, I want to sit under the umbrella so I don't burn." He turned to face Bankotsu. "It's okay, if you want to go swim, I'll just sit and watch you."

"I thought you wanted to go swimming."

"I do, but I don't want push myself too much. It was hard walking today as it is," Jakotsu admitted. "So go swim for the two of us." He leaned over and kissed Bankotsu's cheek. "Don't worry about me, Ban honey, just getting my feet wet was enough for me."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

The cross-dresser stood there, watching his life-partner wade out into a deeper part of the bay. When Bankotsu went under, he laughed and limped slowly over to the beach chairs and sat under the umbrella, where he covered his legs with his towel. Jakotsu laughed again when Bankotsu surface and waved when he spotted him, before going under a second time to stand on his hands, waving a foot at him.

The younger man surfaced a minute later, swimming back to shallow water. He stood up and walked out of the sea towards Jakotsu. His board shorts clung to his thighs, little rivulets of water dripping down his legs, stopping only when they reached his sand encrusted feet. Since the beach was relatively empty because it was a weekday and most of students who would have come here, were getting ready to go back to school, it was easy to enjoy a moment together without any fans getting in the way.

"Are you cold?" Bankotsu asked as he toweled off.

"No, I just don't want to get sunburned on my legs. I've waited long enough to have fun with you, so the idea of anything, no matter how minor, getting in the way of that is something I want to avoid at all costs." The cross-dresser patted the towel.

"You know if you wore a normal bathing suit instead of that skimpy Speedo, you wouldn't have to worry about getting burned."

Jakotsu frowned. "I thought you liked the way I looked in this."

"I do, it's just that you're...uh..."

"What?"

"Exposed. There's very little of you, Sweetness, that's left up to the imagination. And with that shirt on, you look positively naked underneath."

"And that's a bad thing?" The cross-dresser smiled.

"No, not really. If this place was more crowded, then yeah, it would be."

"How so?" Jakotsu propped his chin on his upturned palm and quirked his eyebrow as he leaned towards his life-partner.

"I just don't like the idea of other people drooling over you that's all."

"Really? That's so sweet, Ban honey." He leaned over a bit farther, kissing Bankotsu on the cheek.

The younger man blushed. "Thanks..." he mumbled.

"You want to go back to our room? I don't think the Tanakas would mind if we had a bit of fun as long as we're quiet." Jakotsu giggled. "This is supposed to be our second honeymoon..."

"I know," Bankotsu said softly. "But you don't know how to be quiet and that's what worries me."

"Oh..." Jakotsu looked out towards the sea. "I can try to be quiet. Besides, they gave us one room, when you know as well as I do that we could have had two. So I don't think they care."

"You think? But they're such a nice old couple and I'd really hate to upset them."

"If we didn't wake them up last night, then I'd say we're fine," the cross-dresser said with a saucy wink. "Unless you like the idea of going without nooky."

"No!"

"Then what are you waiting for?" Jakotsu asked. "Let's go have some fun before dinner!" He stood up to leave, and facing Bankotsu, he held out his hand for him to take. "Well?"

"Okay, okay!"

888

Later that evening, Bankotsu held Jakotsu's hand as they walked barefooted down to the beach in the moonlight. It was completely deserted except for the two of them and they could hear the soft of lapping of waves against the sand. They stood at the water's edge, and turning to face each other, the younger man wrapped his arms around his life-partner, pulling him close. The cross-dresser rested his cheek against the top of Bankotsu's head. It felt good to simply stand there and hold each other, while listening to the waves caressing the shore.

After a while they let go and sat on the sand, looking up at night sky. Jakotsu shivered in the cool evening breeze that blew in off the water. Bankotsu, noticing, lifted his arm up, silently inviting him closer, and Jakotsu melted into his warm embrace. The cross-dresser looked up at him as his life-partner gently cupped his cheek. Leaning towards him, Bankotsu kissed him.

Jakotsu's tongue darted out, licking his lover's lips, trying to get him to open his mouth. Bankotsu playfully kept his mouth shut, teasing Jakotsu, as he eased them slowly onto the sand. Opening his mouth, he let his hands wander to cup the cross-dresser's bottom, before carefully rolling him onto his back.

Jakotsu kissed him long and hard, rubbing himself suggestively against his life-partner. He would have enjoyed making love on the beach and had they been younger, he would have been doing his best to talk Bankotsu into it. But he restrained himself and let himself be content with laying his back while Bankotsu lovingly balanced on top of him.

Whispered words of love and soft moans combined with the sound of waves as pent up passion tried to release itself decorously. If they had only paid more attention to their surroundings and less to themselves, they would have heard a soft metallic tinkling. It grew steadily closer and a faint snuffling sound accompanied it.

A small black dog was exploring the deserted beach, his owners out for a late night stroll under the stars. However, they trailed far behind him and were just able to pick him out of the shadows, not that it mattered for the dog could not get very far. Besides, he came when called, so his owners did not worry about it. Trotting along, nose to the sand, the dog sniffed along the beach.

He followed a particularly interesting scent that led to a large blob in the sand. The little dog cautiously approached, circling around to come up behind it. He darted forward, only to just as quickly back up when the blob moved. The sounds it made were interesting too. Finally the little black dog screwed up enough courage to approach it. He sniffed tentatively in its direction, inching closer and closer, and his little black nose was twitching as he breathed in the blob's scent. He crawled between the blob's appendages and stuck his wet nose into the source of a tantalizing scent.

"What the hell?!" Bankotsu cried. He sat up and looked behind him.

The little black dog had backed away and stood in the water, barking furiously at them.

Jakotsu sat there, laughing. "What did you... HAHAHAHA?! Do to that... HAHAHAHAHA!! Poor little dog... HAHAHAHAHA?!" he choked out as he had the feeling he knew exactly what had happened.

"Nothing!"

"Nothing?" The cross-dresser giggled.

"Nothing!" At Jakotsu's knowing look, he sheepishly admitted, "That stupid dog stuck his nose up my ass, if you must know."

Jakotsu burst out laughing. "He didn't! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!"_ Knew it!_

"He did..." Bankotsu heaved a long suffering sigh.

"You know, it could have been worse... hehehehe..." Jakotsu chortled.

"How?"

"You could have been naked when he... HAHAHAHA!!"

The younger man paled.

"You know, I was thinking of asking you to make mad passionate love to me on the beach. I guess it's a good thing I didn't, eh?" the cross-dresser said.

"Hell yeah!"

Jakotsu giggled and leaned on his life-partner. Reaching up, he gently cupped his cheek, turning Bankotsu's head to face him. They kissed.

"Kuro! Come here!" the little dog's owner's called out as they approached.

Kuro stopped barking and trotted obediently over his masters.

"I'm so sorry he bothered you," the man said.

"It's okay, he just startled us," Jakotsu said sweetly. "So his name's 'Kuro?'"

"Yes," the man's female friend said. "He's very friendly and usually doesn't bark like that."

"I can see that. We never saw him coming and I guess we scared each other, right, Ban honey?"

"Yeah." He tried shooing the dog, which had come back for another sniff at his bottom, away.

"Come, Kuro, leave the nice man alone!" Kuro's male owner said.

"I think he likes you, Ban honey." Jakotsu giggled.

_I think he just likes my ass..._ "You think?" Bankotsu said dryly.

"I know!" Jakotsu smiled. _What's not to like about you? You're absolutely yummilicious if you ask me! And you do have a nice ass... _"Anyway, we need to get back to our room. Have a good evening." He gave them an apologetic look.

"You too. Good night!" Kuro's owners, after putting him on the leash, disappeared back the way they had come.

The cross-dresser sighed.

"What's wrong?" Bankotsu asked as he helped him to his feet.

The cross-dresser dusted the sand off his bottom. "We're going home tomorrow."

"Unfortunately you have physical therapy to go to and I have work."

"Yeah..." Jakotsu suddenly brightened.

"Now what?"

The cross-dresser giggled. "You do know that every time I hear the sound of waves, I'm going to remember the time this little dog stuck his nose up your ass..." he said impishly.

"Don't remind me," Bankotsu groaned.

"I'll try not to..." Jakotsu smiled. _"Hoosh... hoosh..."_ he imitated the sound of waves crashing on the beach as they made their way back to their room.

"Not funny, Sweetness."

"No? I think it is. _Hoosh..._"


	30. Chapter 30: Thirty Kisses

Thirty kisses (kiss 30)

By kira

_Author's note: the following AU is based on Live Journal's 30 kisses, and takes place in my "Homecoming" universe. My couple in case you haven't already guessed is Ban/Jak._

_Special thanks to Jen for polishing not only this, but the whole series! You're the best!!_

_Thanks also go out to Ranuel and epsecially Chocolatemaltesers, who left a review for every chapter so far, for all their great reviews on this series over at the site where I first posted this. _

888

"Wakey, wakey, Ban honey," Jakotsu said softly. He kissed his life-partner's nose. "It's time to get up and start your special day," he sang. When he did not get a response from Bankotsu other than a muffled grunt, he kissed him again. "Wake up…"

Bankotsu rolled over, facing away from his life-partner. "GoawaySweetness…" he mumbled incoherently.

"No! I want you to wake up. Please, Ban honey," the cross-dresser whined.

The younger man hugged his pillow tightly, hoping the disturbance, he lovingly called "Sweetness," would give up and go away. He had a sneaking suspicion that it was far too early to be getting up and he wished Jakotsu would just let him sleep an extra half hour or so.

Undeterred, the cross-dresser practically crawled on top of him, his warm breath tickling Bankotsu's ear, as he tried to inch close enough to kiss the younger man's cheek. "Ban honey…" he whispered softly, his lips brushing against Bankotsu's ear in a velvety kiss. "Wake up," he purred.

Bankotsu rolled over, hoping to dislodge the cross-dresser. Unfortunately, Jakotsu not only somehow managed to hang on; he was able to meet his objective, namely the younger man's lips. The cross-dresser kissed him, his tongue darting out from between his lips, trying to tease Bankotsu's mouth open to no avail. So he simply kissed him again and again and again, three quick little kisses, before giving up much to Bankotsu's relief.

Jakotsu sat up, pulling the covers with him. "Don't you love me any more?" he said sadly.

"Of course I do, Sweetness."

"Then why won't you kiss me?"

"Because…" Bankotsu said rather vaguely.

"Why because?"

Bankotsu sighed. "Because I'm still half asleep for thing, and for another I have morning breath…"

"Your point?" Jakotsu said tartly, arching his eyebrow at the younger man.

_My point?_ "For one thing, Sweetness, I was hoping I could sleep a little longer as we didn't get to sleep until after two last night-"

"That's because it's your birthday and I wanted to give you an extra special 'I'm very happy to be home celebrating with you' and an 'I miss you so much' love making session."

_How do you manage to make something so sweet and romantic sound so clinical at the same time?_ "I know and I really appreciated it."

"Yeah?" Jakotsu leaned towards him, and catching Bankotsu by surprise, he was able to kiss him a bit more deeply. Breaking the kiss and, smiling, he said, "Was that so bad?"

"Well…"

Jakotsu blinked. "Excuse me?!" He pulled away from his life-partner.

Bankotsu reached up to pull him close. "It's not you; it's me. I'm sorry; I just don't find anything desirable about kissing with morning breath, even though I'm with the cutest guy on the planet."

"That's it? But we both have it, I mean I can see if I had got up to brush my teeth and tried kissing you, or if you had and I didn't and I kissed you…" The cross-dresser frowned. "But we both still need to brush our teeth, so what's the problem?"

"Me…"

Jakotsu sighed and sat up. "Okay, then let's go brush our teeth."

"What?"

"Brush our teeth. Ban honey, today is your birthday and I wanted to wake you up the best way I know how, plus I want to go make you breakfast in bed, and I don't mean me," he trailed off huskily. Sighing wistfully, he added, "I want to pack as much celebrating into it as I can since you told me flat out in front of everyone that you didn't want a party."

"I know you mean well, so I'm not upset and you shouldn't be either," Bankotsu said.

"No?"

"No…"

"Okay… Let me get up and start your breakfast." Jakotsu leaned over and kissed him.

When the cross-dresser started to pull away in order to get out of bed, Bankotsu surprised him by snaking his arms around him, pulling him close, and kissing him deeply. The younger man slid his hands down the plane of the cross-dresser's back until they met the waistband of Jakotsu's pajama bottoms.

Jakotsu's little moans of pleasure between kisses quickly turned into giggles that melted into Bankotsu's chuckles. Pulling back slightly, Jakotsu said huskily, "I thought you didn't like kissing with morning breath."

"I changed my mind," Bankotsu replied just as huskily.

"Oh…"

"Yeah, now shut up and kiss me."

"With pleasure," Jakotsu purred as he brushed his lips against Bankotsu's in a soft butterfly kiss. Shifting his weight to blanket the younger man, Jakotsu rubbed suggestively against him, his kisses becoming deeper as Bankotsu's hands wormed their way into the cross-dresser's pajama bottoms.

"No, no, no…" Jakotsu said between kisses. "It's your birthday, Ban honey, and I want to do all the work." He reached around and tugged his bottoms back up.

"But umm…" _Oh crap I hope he doesn't want to repeat that night when he did "all the work." _

"What's wrong, Ban honey?" The cross-dresser gently cupped his life-partner's face.

"Nothing…"

"Then why are you so tense?" Jakotsu leaned in and kissed him.

"I'm not tense," he lied.

"Ban honey, I promise you the most I'm going to do is eat you with a spoon," the cross-dresser said saucily.

"Yeah…?" The younger man visibly relaxed.

"Yeah." Straddling his life-partner's hips, Jakotsu proceeded to unbutton his flannel pajamas, planting a kiss on each little bit of exposed flesh as he slid down Bankotsu's legs. The cross-dresser playfully rubbed Bankotsu's crotch, caressing the flannel and making the younger squirm under his touch. "I see someone's enjoying his birthday so far."

Bankotsu grinned in reply.

"Well let's see what I can do to make it even better," Jakotsu purred. He slowly pulled his life-partner's bottoms off. As he eased Bankotsu's foot free of his pajama bottom, Jakotsu lifted it to his lips and kissed his ankle. "Twenty one…" he murmured softly to himself, before repeating himself with Bankotsu's other foot. "Twenty two…" He kissed his way upwards, alternating between his life-partner's legs, ending with a kiss on the tip of the younger man's penis. "Thirty…"

"Are… you… counting…?" Bankotsu choked out. Jakotsu had just engulfed him, and resulting sensations were making it hard for Bankotsu to think straight.

Jakotsu paused in his ministrations and looked up. He carefully and slowly eased his mouth off his life-partner's erection and said, "Yeah… why?"

"Thirty… what? Kisses?" Bankotsu frowned and wished Jakotsu would quickly answer and go back to what he was doing.

The cross-dresser smiled. "Thirty kisses, because I was thirty when I met you and because you're the best thing that ever happened to me, I decided to mark that fact by giving you thirty kisses on special occasions. Your birthday is one of them, the anniversary of the day we met another, and the anniversary of the day we officially became a couple and then there's our commitment ceremony anniversary…"

"Yeah…?"

"Yup. You mean that much to me and then some. So if you don't mind…" Jakotsu's smile broadened into an impish grin. "I'd like to continue," he said saucily.

Bankotsu's mouth hung open for a few seconds before he smiled. "Then who am I to stop you? Carry… on!" He gasped when Jakotsu did just that.

The cross-dresser gave it his all, flicking his rough tongue against all the right places as he bobbed his head up and down. Ever so slowly, Bankotsu inched his way towards release. When Jakotsu hit a particularly sensitive spot, the younger man gave into the sensation. His face contorted, his whole body tensing, and he gripped the sheet tightly in his fists when he orgasmed. Bankotsu let out the breath he had been holding in a contented sigh.

"Happy birthday, Ban honey," Jakotsu said softly.

Bankotsu nodded in reply.

"Want me to go make breakfast?"

"No," Bankotsu said. "I just want to lie here with you for a while."

"Okay…" Jakotsu said softly. He moved out from between his life-partner's legs to cuddle up next to him, bringing the blankets with him.

Bankotsu wrapped his arm around the cross-dresser, holding him close, and kissed the top of his head. Jakotsu smiled and placed his hand over the younger man's heart. His life-partner placed his over it, and picking it up, he brought Jakotsu's hand to his lips and kissed it. The cross-dresser looked up at him, quirking his eyebrow questioningly.

"I kind of like the whole thirty kisses thing, so I thought I give you thirty kisses too." Bankotsu let go of the cross-dresser's hand to cup his cheek. They shifted slightly and Bankotsu kissed him on the lips.

Breaking the kiss, Jakotsu said impishly, "I thought you didn't like kissing with morning breath…"

"True, but I really like kissing you and-"

"You've got twenty seven more to go!" Jakotsu giggled.


End file.
